ij^,iiiiiiiimmjnit 







Pass "S S70 
Book- . ""5- ^ '^ 



Cqpiglit}^'^- 



\ d CL^ 



COPYRIGHT DKPOSm 



.a 



',v 



.^' 







\t)^ .y^ tn^oy^y^ • 



U.S. ^ -^- 






Otir 
SooK 




102 AmmiiiiitioitTrttin 



Copyrtght Applied for 1919 
By C. M. BARD 






OCI.A515887 



Mi I4l9iy 



BeJicafcd fo l-lic lo-¥cJ oi?c0 hack 
liomc^ who W Yhdr sflcrificce at)d 
fmfh^ ^avc flic men af fhz fronf 
cncoura^tmcnl- l-o Jo Hmr Jwl"^, 




Capt. H. N. Olmstead 



Four 



A 




^^^ "TZre Shipper 



If the perusal of this history of Company "A," 102nd Ammunition Train, 
brings back recollections of the months spent in training in the United States 
and France as members of the American Expeditionary Forces, recalls to minds 
the hardships and pleasures shared in common and enables families and friends 
to gain an insight into the life and activities of the company, then this book has 
performed its appointed task, even though briefly. 

From widely separated portions of the United States the government drew 
upon men to form its great army, and Company "A" shared alike with other 
organizations in that its enlisted personnel, at the time of embarkation for 
overseas, was composed of men from the cities, towns and farms, from New 
York, Texas, Oklahoma and Michigan. Yet such was the common spirit 
animating all Americans that men from all parts of the country met, coalesced 
and there was no difference; each and every man became first, last and all the 
time a soldier of the United States, anxious and willing to do whatever he was 
called upon to do, ready at all times for any detail, no matter how^ hazardous 
or irksome, forgetful of self in the furthering of his country's plans. 

Of such men was this company formed and in that spirit w^as its work 
accomplished. Given such men as these with such a spirit, no officer com- 
manding troops could ask for more. The word "discipline" is much mis- 
understood, but when details were on time, when meals were ready, plentiful 
and well cooked, when trucks were always running, as far as it was humanly 
possible to keep them so, when marches, train trips of several days* duration 
and cross-country auto trips were made with no hitches or disorders and two 
voyages made across the ocean as though they were common occurrences, 
when the men were widely scattered in different towns and beyond possibility 
of constant supervision and all comment was most favorable; then an ides^ 
may be formed as to the "discipline" of Company "A." 

In the year and more of existence of the company it has not only been a 
pleasure but a privilege to have commanded it and now that at last all have 
been returned to civilian life, it is with a pang of great regret that the realiza- 
tion is faced that these days of comradeship are ended. 

Captain F. A., Co. A, 102nd Ammunition Train. 




^toSi J'- 


lumnmum iiimmmin J 




■^^HHB^Ssf^ynf I 


♦ t 




T7 


,.,^^Hr 






cq 



Six 



J bvents Oi 

TVo wa^rs 




CHAPTER I. 
"LET'S ENLIST" 

By Corp. Fred. M. Barnard, Corp. David G. Campbell and Pvt. Archer Church 

Hardly had the people of the United States realized that war was at hand 
when over one hundred young men from central New York were enlisted at 
the Troop "D" Armory in Syracuse in the Remount Detachment, Q. M. C, 
N. Y. N. G. The officers were: Captain Walter L. Bell, 1st Lieutenant Roy A. 
Cheney and 2nd Lieutenant Frank McCue. After two weeks of preliminary 
training at the Armory, the Remount moved to the Syracuse State Fair grounds 
and there relieved Company "B," 1st N. Y. Infantry. Then began a period 
of much guard duty and few passes. The organization was quartered in the 
Women's Hospital building and besides taking over the guarding of the state 
property, established an out-post at the Solvay station of the Niagara, Ontario 
and Lockport Power Company. 

After a month at the Fair Grounds, the organization returned to the Ar- 
mory in Syracuse — rookies still, but with changed ideas of soldiering. Here 
the guard duty on the Syracuse lighting plant was taken over, but the Solvay 
out-post still retained. Nine days of guard with one day relief was the schedule 
for the next month. 

About the middle of June, 1917, Captain Bell received orders to recruit 
the first battalion of the 6th Division Ammunition Train. In a very short time 
the battalion was recruited to strength — six companies of fifty-five men each 
— and, on June 30th, the Ammunition Train officially came into existence. 
Captain Bell was placed in command of the first battalion, receiving his com- 
mission as Major on July 1 1th. 

On August 5th, after a period of intensive training in which drills, schools, 
sky-hooks and bayonet ammunition played a prominent part, the battalion was 
mustered into Federal service by Capt. Guido Verbeck. On August 1 5th the 
organization made its initial move to Messina Springs, a short distance out- 
side the cily. Here the men received typhoid inoculations and were initiated 
into 'the mysteries of camp life. Ten days had been spent in this camp when, 




Mcssuia Springs 



Eioht 



without warning, the order came to move to New York. Although only 
twelve hours' notice was given the men w^ere ready early next morning. Upon 
arriving at the Armory in Syracuse, a final leave of three hours w^as given in 
which to say good-bye, and at nine o'clock that night the battalion entrained 
at the New York Central station and, followed by the cheers and farewells of 
friends and relatives, were off on the first leg of their long journey overseas. 

After a sleepless night the battalion detrained early on the morning of 
August 24th at Kings Bridge, New York City. The lunch provided by the 
Syracuse Red Cross was soon disposed of and the companies were formed pre- 
paratory to the long hike to camp. This hike never materialized, however. 
Through the efforts of Major Bell surface cars were procured and the trip was 
accomplished in short order. Upon arriving at Pelham Bay the battalion 
joined the remainder of the regiment which was already in camp. Squad tents 
quickly sprang up and it was not long before most of the men had tried out 
the bathing beach and Kanes. 

While at Pelham Bay the 6th Division became the 2 7th Division, U. S. 
Army. The parade of the 2 7th Division in New York is something that will 
long be remembered by those who took part. For many it was their first 
appearance of the kind and this was the case with the upstate battalion of the 
Ammunition Train or the "Apple Knockers," as they were at that time dub- 
bed by the members of the second battalion. 

On September 6th, 1917, the entire Train broke camp and after a stiff 
hike to City Island, boarded a barge for Jersey City. The trip was made 
through a bedlam of noise from the screeching whistles of the small river 
craft and deeper tones of the larger vessels. Debarking in Jersey City the 
trip was resumed in tourist-sleepers — colored porters and all — and the Train 
was off for Camp Wadsworth, S. C, where our final training was to be com- 
pleted. 





Pelham Bay 



Nine 



CHAPTER II. 
"SO THIS IS DIXIE!" 

By Corp. Fred M. Barnani, Corp. David G. Campbell and Pvt. Arthur Church. 

After three days of travel we arrived at Fair Forest, S. C, Sunday morn- 
ing, September 9th, and upon detraining were informed that the camp was 
only a short distance away. Then began a hike which seemed miles, along 
one of the red clay roads so characteristic of the Carolinas. Upon arriving 
at the site alloted for our camp whatever ideas we may have had concern- 
ing barracks, company streets, etc., were rudely dissipated. A raess shack 
situated on the edge of a cotton field was the only suggestion that this might 
be the place. By noon, however, little remained of the cotton field and 
shortly afterwards company streets were laid out, tents were pitched and the 
camp began to take on a military appearance. 

The first days in Wadsworth were spent for the most part in building 
drill grounds, ditches, company streets and, in general, making the camp 
more comfortable. Hikes, close order drill, field work and schools soon 
found a place in the schedule and in a surprisingly short time the men were 
hard at w^ork. 

By this time most of us had conformed to the requirements of G. O. No. 
1 and were eligible for passes to Spartanburg, a city about five miles from 
Camp Wadsworth. For ten cents the trip could be made on the P. & N. 
railway. Usually, however, the service was too uncertain and many pre- 
ferred the surer methods of the jitney busses with which the camp abounded. 
Due to the large number of troops located so near, the city was usually 
crowded with soldiers, which probably accounts for the fact that few of us 
experienced the famous "Southern hospitality." However, Spartanburg 
afforded many pleasures in the way of movies, theatres and restaurants which 
were open to all for the price. 

In addition to the drills, the Train was called upon to furnish many 
details for different purposes. Perhaps the most important of these and the 
one which will be longest remembered by those who were there, was the "road 
detail." Rifles were laid aside and for several weeks daily details were called 
upon to assist the 1 02nd Engineers in the task of rebuilding the famous 
"Snake Road" connecting Spartanburg with the camp. 

On October 13th, 1917, the 27th Division was reorganized. This date 
also marks the beginning of Company "A" for, in the reorganization of the 
Train, old Truck Companies I and 2 were consolidated, forming "A" Com- 
pany, 1 02nd Ammunition Train. Lieutenant Cheney, formerly commanding 
Company 2, was assigned to the company and on October 21st Captain 
Harold N. Olmstead stood his first formation with us. 

On Thanksgiving eve "fire call" was heard for the first time by Com- 
pany "A." Everyone tumbled out of bed in a hurry and armed with all 
available pails and axes, made the Camp Q. M. on the double, only to find 
that the fire was under control and that their services were not needed. The 
return to the company street and bed was very unsatisfactory from a military 
standpoint. 

While on the subject of our life in Wadsworth, our Thanksgiving and 
Christmas dinners deserve mention. On both occasions the cooks worked 
hard and produced dinners which, if not as good as those at home, were at 
least better than any others served in camp. Of our Thanksgiving feast only 
one thing need be said — it was too much. The Christmas dinner, while not 
as elaborate, was equally filling and most satisfactory. Two barrels of apples 
received from the Syracuse Auxiliary were enjoyed in the form of pies. In 
addition to the dinner, Christmas Day was made more realistic by the gifts 
from the Syracuse Auxiliary and the women of Converse college in Spartan- 
burg. 

Ten 




Winter, Camp W adsivorth 



About the 1 7th of December, Company "A" received its first trucks, 
and the Ammunition Train took over the truck work of the division. Twenty- 
one trucks were turned over by the 1 02nd Supply Train and it was not long 
after that the wagoners of the company made the acquaintance of the range 
at Glassy Rock, the camp bakery, the Q. M. and various stables and ware- 
houses throughout the camp. 

With the trucks came a change in our usual schedule of drill. Truck 
details were often sent on trips requiring two or three days and finally it 
became necessary to detail different companies on detached service with 
trucks. "A" Company was selected for one of these details, which is de- 
scribed by Wagoner Herbert E. Erway: 

The life of the company on wood detail in Grover, N. C. was the life 
of a kind peculiar to but few army organizations. This fact alone warrants 
especial mention of the trip. 

The usually welcome "first call" on the morning of December 30th was 
heard with a bit of pleasure, for all anticipated the trip. After an early, 
hurried breakfast, the company, including the kitchen and other baggage, 
was loaded on eight White cargo trucks and the start was made in high 
spirits. 

The route took us through the city of Spartanburg and the villages of 
Converse, Cowpens. Gaffney and Blacksburg. The varying scenery made 
the trip most interesting and there was always some excitement at hand. The 
roads were icy, making fast driving hazardous, and on two bridges a truck 
broke through the planking, causing much delay, but damage only to the 
bridge. A hurried stop was made in Gaffney at noon, durmg which we all 
visited the kitchen truck. Rather slow progress was made during the after- 
noon, but finallv, after dark we came to a group of lights and were told that 
we were in Grover. We passed by the lights a short distance , unloaded and, 
after pitching tents in an open spot, made ourselves as comfortable as pos- 
sible for the night. On the following morning the bugler overslept, but when 
we did fall out we found that our camp adjoined a mill yard in the outskirts 
of a typical Carolina village. Grover is situated on the boundary line of 
North and South Carolina and on the main line of the Southern railroad. 

The first couple of davs were spent in making camp and exploring the 
village, which we found consisted of some eight stores, two churches, a garage, 
barber shop, saw mill, depot and about fifty houses. 



Eleven 



On the third day our work started. "Woods loading" details and "car 
loading" details were announced and axemen picked. The trucks w^ith their 
details left camp early in the morning for a point in the mountains about five 
miles out. The wood had been cut and corded in four-foot lengths where 
it fell. The axemen got busy and cleared roadways among the stumps and 
brush and the drivers proved their ability in following them. On the first 
day our expectations were more than realized, for each truck made six trips 
to the railroad, where the wood was loaded in box-cars. 

For a few days following the work varied but little. Our evenings were 
spent in the tents around the "Sibleys," at the barber shop or in "Kate's." 
"Kate's" was a general merchandise store run by the owner. Miss Kate Turner. 
She was of doubtful age, unmarried, and soon proved herself a most agree- 
able person. The flavoring of the Coca Cola at Kate's was so superior to 
that in any of the other stores that it soon won her the whole company as 
patrons and at any time around her stove could be found a group of "O. D.'s." 




111 J-roiil <•}' "Kdli's" 

It was later decided that time could be saved if a camp was made in 
the woods for the loading details. About twenty men in charge of Sgts. 
Kirkpatrick and Gere were detailed to establish the camp and soon had them- 
selves comfortably settled in tents about five miles up in the mountains. 

As Sergeant Kirkpatrick writes; The plan seemed to work out to a 
nicety, as it was found that more wood than before could be brought down 
to the siding. There was plenty of work for all, including the famous "Wood- 
land Quartette. " 

The kitchen, under "Cornbread " Kelley and Haynes, soon made a great 
reputation. It was rumored back in the camp at Grover that the fellows 
up in the woods were living on the choicest of chow and the topper's office 
was besieged with applications for the mountain detail. 

After we had been in the camp for several days, some of the fellows 
discovered that we were really in the moonshine country. They were positive 
of this fact upon finding the stills and the next thing was to locate the stuff 
itself. Several methods were suggested, but finally the moonshiners made 



Twelve 




Camp at G rover 



their appearance and introduced themselves to the crowd. They made sev- 
eral trips to the camp, but just how the moonshine tasted was never generally 
known. 

The work progressed very well. In fact we had such a rush that a 
traffic cop had to be appointed. Sometimes we had a little difficulty in get- 
ting the loaded trucks out of the w^oods, but with twenty-five or thirty huskies 
pushing one of them something had to move. 

After about ten days a change in the weather made the long haul to 
the siding impractical and the detail w^as ordered to rejoin the company at 
Grover. It w^as with some regret that we left "Camp Katz Fur." 

Many of us then planned for a few days' rest, but another woods was 
found on good roads only tw^o miles from camp. Here, as before, the trucks 
were obliged to drive into the w^oods for their loads. Roads were built, 
corduroyed, rebuilt and bridges erected under the able direction of Corporal 
Thro. By beginning early in the morning, the trucks could easily enter the 
w^oods, as the ground was frozen hard enough to hold them up. But before 
noon the ground invariably thawed and the heavily loaded trucks sank deep 
in the soft mud, requiring the combined efforts of the whole force to get them 
out. The w^ork proceeded in this w^ay until the roads finally became impass- 
able for loaded trucks. 

During the enforced idleness 
that followed, many took ad- 
vantage of the unusually good 
hunting in the neighborhood. 
Rabbits and quail abounded and 
were brought in in large numbers 
with an occasional possum. Corp. 
Thro, Manning and Erw^ay proved 
so adept that they w^ere detailed 
to bring in game for the company 
mess. 

As the train schedule made it 
possible for the men to arrive in 
Kings Mountain in the afternoon 
and return late at night, there 
were few who failed to visit the 
movies and mill girls, as well as 
the famous battle ground near is^a^> T A w ■ \ _ 




Thirtetn 



the town. The captain's Ford, as well as hired cars, were busily en- 
gaged taking men to the town of Shelby, some twelve miles from Grover, 
where the men enjoyed their first experience in "Southern hospitality." 
Grover also opened its homes to the company on at least one occasion, when 
the men attended church in a body and were afterwards taken for dinner at 
the homes of the residents. 

Not because the proper spirit or amount of excitement was lacking, but 
for the interest of the townspeople, the company staged a show in the village 
schoolhouse. Much talent was unearthed and more developed, the perform- 
ance savoring somewhat of the vaudeville. Notwithstanding the fact that the 
weather was far from agreeable when the show^ came off, the house was full 
and much fun was enjoyed. For a dry town the men were unusually hilarious. 
However, it was a treat to the townspeople and the proceeds, which amounted 
to something like one hundred dollars, were turned over to the school. 

Since there was much good baseball material in the company, a challenge 
from the Grover team w^as accepted and a most exciting game ensued. Both 
sides played exceptionally w^ell and the score, nine to four in favor of the 
"Bohunks." was a surprise to all, especially to those in the company who 
backed their team in a financial w^ay. 




Several sham battles w^ere staged in the vicinity of this camp. One in 
particular, in w^hich the defense and capture of the village w^as the aim, caused 
much interest to the inhabitants as well as to ourselves. The technicalities 
which w^ere evolved, however, left the decision of the battle open to public 
opinion. 

These happy days continued for six short weeks and when the order 
came to return to Camp Wadsworth it was received with much regret. We 
had all made many real friends among the townspeople and the prospects of 
Camp Wadsworth were far from tempting. 

On February 16, 1918, we returned to Camp Wadsworth and resumed 
our work with the trucks. This work was so well performed that when the 
trucks were turned back to the Supply Train several men from the company 
were detailed to the divisional transportation officer. At about this time, too, 
came the much disliked wood details at the Camp Q. M. 

On March 1st, the 102nd Ammunition Train took over the Q. M. guard 
and a detail of twelve men was furnished from "A" Company. The men 
were relieved often and practically every man did his trick, as only expert 
drivers were excused. 



Fourteen 




Early in April our company mascot, "Lattie," presented us with three 
little mascots. Their first breath was drawn in the midst of Lieut. Cheney's 
clean laundry. "Shelby, " "Grover " and "Kings Mountain * provided much 
amusement for the company and the men were somewhat disappointed in 
not being able to take the pups along overseas. Evidently "Lattie" was a 
firm believer in the old saying that "Variety is the spice of life," for the pups 
were all different breeds. 

For some time Lieut. Cheney had been on detached duty and on May 
1 3th he was commissioned Captain and permanently assigned to headquarters 
staff as Personnel Officer. It was with much regret that those of us who had 
been with him since entering the service saw him leave the company. 

Rumor now had us moving in May and all agreed that the time for 
departure was approaching. Late in April the company was put under quar- 
antine for scarlet fever. Privates Church and O'Neill, the offending parties 
were sent to the base hospital. The company, not being used to restriction 
to the company street, found many and varied forms of amusement. Base- 
ball, medicine ball, quoits and midnight frolics with our beloved mess sergeant 
passed away the time. After ten days of confinement the quarantine was 
removed, much to our relief. 

On April 9th, the vacancy of a second lieutenantcy in the company was 
filled when Lieutenant Homer K. Sweet, up until that time a sergeant in head- 
quarters, received his commission and was assigned to the company. 

With the filling up of vacancies by men drawn from recruit detachments 
the moving rumors gained substance. As "A ' Company needed men 
to bring us up to war strength, our first quota was drawn from the recruits 
sent down from Fort Slocum. From Private Samuel Newman's account of 
the life in that station it can be believed that their experiences there were 
anything but pleasant. Details, examinations and drills followed in endless 
succession until they thought, as probably all recruits are lead to believe, that 
war had been well defined by Sherman. The non-coms, in charge of them 
were the usual type of recruit drill masters and were especially disliked. 
However, about five hundred of them were soon ordered to Camp Wads- 
worth and were distributed among the various units. The men picked for 
"A " Company were a fine bunch and soon fraternized with the older men. 

By this time several units of the division were already on their way over- 
seas and the certainty that we were soon to leave the camp which had been 
our home for nine long months was an added incentive for us to undergo 
the various physical and equipment inspections necessary before our departure. 
After several false reports as to the day of moving, destination, etc., the Train 
was surprised one morning by an order to move, which was carried out. 

Carrying full packs, we marched out over the same old red clay road by 
which we had entered nine months before for a "few weeks* training." We 
were leaving for "over there," and that fact alone was enough to put the men 
in the best of spirits. With hearts much lighter than our packs we boarded 
the train about noon May 1 8th and started on our last move in the States. 

Fifteen 



^x., \ 




) 



(Jatc to Officers' Quarters 
Camp IVadszvorth 



"THE APPLE KNOCKERS" 

{NoU:~AfUr this Limerick ..as rea, to Major P. E. Na.ie He calie, U ^'The Apple Knockers' Re.e.^e.-) 

In that far off dreamy country 
Where the "Apple Knockers" are. 
Many a blue-eyed lassie 
Hooks her wagon to a star. 

And it's not for love of apples 
That she often sighs a sigh. 
But it's for a gallant lover 
With a will to do or die. 

So when you knock the "Apple Knockers" 

Just remember one and all. 

Not all the country's patriots 

Are the "friends of Tammany Hall." 

— Lieut. H. K. Sweet. 



Sixteen 



CHAPTER III. 
"LET'S GO" 

By Wagoner George E. ' Kelley. 

When we climbed off the train at Camp Stuart, marched up to those new 
barracks with their spring cots and looked out through the screened windows 
towards the gate where we could see street cars, autos and part of the beau- 
tiful city of Newport News, we thought that we had reached a soldier's para- 
dise. We had, all right — if we had not been informed immediately that we 
were quarantined to our quarters. 

But it was not all as harsh as it sounds, for the restrictions made us appre- 
ciate all the more the opportunities to get away from the camp on those 
hardening hikes along the shore-road and past the shipyards under the blazing 
sun. Who w^ill forget those hikes? "Only the weary know^ the sweetness of 
rest " and how^ we did rest, too, on those summer nights with the sea breeze 
w^histling through the open window^s. 

It w^as here that the company received its final quota of men which 
was to bring it to w^ar strength for service overseas. "A* Company w^as 
fortunate in receiving a number of fine men who were with the company from 
that time until the end of our service. Of their first experiences Private 
Edward Adamson writes: 

Now, while they are w^riting history 
Of the war on land and foam, 
I would like to mention "Custer," 
Where so oft my thoughts do roam. 

That camp way back in Michigan 
Where they made us hard as bricks 
And taught us the one great lesson — 
"No matter what happens — no kicks!" 

Now^, after three w^eeks of training — 
All this time we had one sore arm — 
We w^ere longing for just one more day 
Back on the old man's farm. 

Some said we were going overseas, 
While others had a doubt; 
But while we were debating 
We started off — due south. 

Just then there came an order 
For us to move somew^here; 
And there were lots of rumors 
Floating in the air. 

Our train had fourteen coaches; 
Each one could have a seat. 
We thought if this w^as soldiering 
We'd sw^ear it couldn't be beat. 

Seventeen 



We crossed the states of Ohio, 
Kentucky and Tennessee; 
Over the hills and valleys; 
And soon in the south were we. 

The scenery was so beautiful 
That 'twas easy to understand 
Why our people are a mixture 
From every foreign land. 

Next came the great big cotton fields 
That we'd read so nauch about. 
All those things were new to us 
All along that route. 

But soon our train came to a stop. 
We had landed at — somewhere; 
So I'll leave it up to Rickwalt 
To tell what happened there. 

Now, it's been put up to me to tell 
What happened in the south: 
Well, we found it all so pleasant 
And the officers so kind. 
That we sent our deepest sympathy 
To the boys we'd left behind. 

They called this place Camp Gordon; 
'Twas a pretty place to see. 
And much of the work we had to do 
Was done beneath the trees. 

Some of this work consisted 
Of learning about a pack; 
They showed us how to roll it 
And strap it on our back. 

They hiked us many miles each day 
Beneath a southern sun. 
And taught us many tricks to play 
So we could fool the Hun. 

But the Boche was many miles away; 
Now we must get to France 
If we would put those tricks to use 
And make the Kaiser dance, 

But one day there came a call — 
We welcomed their decision — 
For next day we were on our way 
To the Twenty-seventh Division. 

Now, luck was surely with us; 
Our hopes were not in vain. 
They landed us at Newport News 
In the Ammunition Train. 



Eighteen 




Camp Stuart 



Camp Stuart afforded us fine accommodations 
and excellent food, but it also afforded full sway of 
the inspecting officers and drill masters, so that in 
three weeks we w^ere glad to make our packs and 
fall into line for the hike to the boat. The big day 
we had dreamed of had come at last. We w^ere 
on our way to the boat which w^ould take us aw^ay 
forever, we hoped, from all that is connected with 
an embarkation camp. We even forgave all those 
inspecting officers and were bidding goodbye to 
the States when w^e noticed that something was 
wrong at the head of the column. There w^as. And 
if w^e are ever asked what command w^e hate the 
worst, it w^ill be the one we heard then, "Column 
left — column left!" It came like a kick in the face 
that we should go back to those barracks, but we 
did, and for nine long days dropped back into the 
old routine. 

June 1 4th came. We started off on that eventful day at the early hour 
of three-thirty, and, after a breakfast in the dark, a hurried fastening of packs 
and a hasty line-up, we were off in the still early hours of the dawn for our 
trip "over there." At eight-thirty we were glad to walk up the gang plank 
of H. M. S. "Czar" and get our overseas equipment off our shoulders) and 
into our bunks in that bottom part of the ship called "Section K — aft." 

A sea voyage is sure to be a novel affair to any landsman and we knew 
we had several sensations in store for us. How^ever, that didn't lessen our 
interest in the new craft and before she had finished taking on cargo we 
had been over her from stem to stern. We were free to stand by the rail 
and watch the space w^iden betw^een the pier and the "Czar" as the little tug 
boats pulled her out into the stream, w^here she lay still for the night. It w^as 
a splendid night, too, out there on the w^ater with a light w^ind blow^ing in 
from the ocean, a sky full of stars and a deck full of mattresses bearing so 
many eager young Americans almost too anxious to sleep. 

The best w^e can say of the "Czar," according to Pvt. John J. Clark, is 
that w^e had comparative freedom on the boat. At mess time w^e w^ere free 
either to eat or not to eat the "foods" served for our meals. We were all 
glad of that liberty and feel uncertain of the results had w^e been obliged to 
partake of those original dishes of ancient meats. Clark writes: Three times 
a day we trouped down to the mess hall, only to have a perfectly good appe- 
tite ruined by the steward who presided over the "Czar's" scullery. The 
meals were just the sort we w^ould have enjoyed w^atching the Kaiser down. 
The one fact that kept us from being escorted off the "Czar" in wooden 
kimonas was that there w^as a canteen aboard. The wares of this establishment 
w^ere very reasonable. Even Carnegie or Vanderbilt could have afforded 
to purchase a bar of chocolate or a can of sardines at this cut-throat bazaar. 

The morning of the 1 5th was the beginning of another one of these balmy 
June days and just made us feel like going somewhere. So, when the engine 
bell clanged and the boat began to quiver and start on its slow, winding 
course down the bay, we knew we were on our way and were happy. Land 
receeded slowly from sight and except for the four other transports, the 
"Princess Matoika," "Wilhelmina," "DeKalb," and "Dante Aigrette," a cruis- 
er, a destroyer, a seaplane and several sub-chasers, we had only the open 
expanse of sea to attract our attention. But even this gazing had its charms 
for us, and way into the night and again early in the morning, the ship's rails 



Nineteen 



■were solid lines of olive drab. Everyone seemed under the spell of the ocean 
and just at the height of our fascination, the most unearthly noise, beginning 
with the screech of the siren of the "Princess Matoika" and taken up by the 
sirens of all the others, rent the air with that combination of sounds that 
makes one's blood run cold. It was a danger warning. Some saw a peri- 
scope; more of us didn't. But almost before that siren chorus had died down, 
the reports of the bow^ and stern guns came from all sides and the transports 
scattered from the spot where the shells were hitting. 

It was great to watch the flashes of the guns, see the smoke at the 
mouths of the pieces, the splashes in the water and then hear the thunder 
as gun after gun spit at the elusive foe. Never did our enthusiasm rise 
higher than at just this point of the battle when a destroyer, which had been 
way forward, turned short around and under full speed passed our boat only 
a few rods off our port side. And even as she rolled with the waves and 
rushed on with the speed of an express train, we could see her tiny decks 
cleared for action, with the gunners at their places waiting for the word to 
begin their work. We couldn't suppress a shout or two and from all along 
our rail came a bedlam of cheers of which "Give 'em hell " was most notice- 
able. Every red-blooded American on the boat was so interested in that 
short battle and in watching the gigantic upheavals of water caused by the 
depth bombs or in trying to sight a periscope that all thoughts of personal 
danger were out of mind. 

The worst of it all was that it was too short, as the report suggests, 
"Three subs, sighted, twelve shots fired, three depth bombs dropped, and 
two subs, sunk." Anyway, it gave us something to discuss until the follow- 
ing morning, when we were joined by eight more transports, another cruiser 
and one more destroyer. The chasers left us soon after and one cruiser and 
one destroyer continued with the convoy as a permanent escort. 




Twenty 



Day after day of fair weather added much to the trip, but even with 
such interruptions as target practice, a concert or two in the officers' dining- 
room and cases of books from the Y. M. C. A., we began to tire of the ocean's 
vastness, of watching jumping porpoises, flying fish and spouting whales, and 
were glad when we were met by more escort ships and were told that on the 
morrow we w^ould see the shores of France. 

The prediction proved correct, for on the following morning, the thir- 
teenth day of our voyage, we could see a break in the skyline. "Just a bit 
of heaven" expresses our first impression of that beautifully green country, 
which stretched away from the rugged shores and as the wonderful vista 
came out to meet us we were so under its spell that the slow-down clang 
of the ship's bell seemed sacrilegious. The vibration of the boat ceased and 
the huge craft took its place in the single file procession which appeared to 
be mysteriously propelled along the glassy surface of that long channel lead- 
ing in to the harbor of Brest. 

The rocky cliffs rose higher and higher and were topped by wireless 
towers and lighthouses. Huge stone walls, perhaps dating back to the days 
of medieval conquest, massive tunnels of stone which served as communicat- 
ing trenches between the enormous defenses, and those winding roads lead- 
ing up from the water's edge, supported by long stretches of concrete walls, 
were altogether new^ to us. So much masonry crow^ded into so small a space 
as those precipitous slopes afforded seemed beyond the patience of man 
to build. But w^e had still another surprise as we rounded the last bend of 
the channel and found the city of Brest before us, built much like an ampi- 
theater, each street a tier connected by other streets zig-zagging up and away 
from the water front. 












m^\^ 



Twenty-one 




Conz'oy Entering Brest Harbor. 

The harbor was secure from the wind and w^aves, but was so shallow 
that our deep w^ater transports were obliged to drop anchor some distance 
from the piers and wait for smaller freight boats to relieve them of their 
cargo of soldiers and supplies. It could be expected that w^e were all anxious 
to be the first ashore, but there w^as no cause for anxiety, for the w^hole human 
cargo of the "Czar," except the unloading detail, was shifted down the sway- 
ing gang plank into the small lighter until that craft looked like a khaki 
pyramid floating on the water. 

At seven in the evening, June 2 7th, under full packs, w^e w^ere pounding 
our shoes on the cobblestone pavements, going up through the city to the 
summit and then out into the country, w^hich opened up before us in a new^ 
and different scene of regular shaped fields of w^ell cared for crops, separated 
from each other by high walls topped by hedges. The country looked so 
prolific that several exclaimed, "No w^onder the Kaiser wants France." 

We were in high spirits on the hike through the quaint city, greeted by 
the children's idea of our national anthem, "Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here," 
but in the country we soon tired of the mile after mile and were greatly 
pleased when w^e saw a large w^alled camp at the end of a by-road w^e had 
entered. "Pontanezan Barracks," it read on the arch above the high gate, 
through w^hich we could see barracks of Napoleon's time. It looked good to 
us, for it meant that we could drop the heavy packs from our backs and cool 
off. But "Column left! Column left!" sent us back from the gate on to the 
main road, w^here for a mile or more w^e stumbled along and at last stag- 
gered through a gateway and into a level field surrounded by built-up mounds 
of mother earth covered with briar bushes. It was still broad daylight when, 
at nine-thirty, we finished pitching our pup tents and lay down on the hard 
ground to welcome sleep that w^ould make us forget that w^e had had no 
supper. 

Daylight came again about four in the morning, but most of us didn't 
see it until the middle of the forenoon, when we responded to the cook's call 
and fell into line for our first meal in France. Only black coffee, bread and 
bacon — but these three items were each a treat to us at our stage of hunger. 
At breakfast we were warned against the drinking water of France and it 
was quite natural that within an hour or so members of the company were to 
be seen in groups of two or three along any roads leading from the camp 



Twenty two 




Pup Tents at Brest 

armed with French dictionaries — and canteens. They never had far to travel, 
for every farmhouse had its wine cellar and was always ready to supply the 
American's need. 

About three days of this visiting and we were satisfied to make our 
packs one night before dark preparatory to the move before morning. Some 
of the boys built fires and gathered around and sang all the old camp-fire 
songs that could be remembered. Sleep was out of the question. The few 
who tried it on the cold ground soon returned to the fire, shivering and crowd- 
ing in toward the heat. The "topper's" w^histle blew^ about three in the morn- 
ing and by daylight we were again in Brest climbing aboard the much her- 
alded "40 hommes 8 cheveux." 

Little we missed of the many interesting scenes of this railway trip. We 
knew that France was beautiful, but we saw it then in its prime. About the 
time we w^ould tire of w^atching the miles and miles of country slip by, the 
train would pull into one of the big coast cities and give us a change from 
the monotony. St. Nazaire, La Rochelle, Nantes and Bordeaux were passed 
enroute. At each of these cities w^e saw^ soldiers and sailors of enough dif- 
ferent nations to make us feel that Uncle Sam was only a junior partner in 
the world war. 

It w^ould be unfair to the French railway system not to mention the well 
constructed and uniform bridges which eliminated the many grade crossings 
and the w^onderful road-bed along the entire route. We w^ere impressed, too, 
by the number of big U. S. A. locomotives w^hich sw^elled the traffic in the 
fright yards. 

On the afternoon of the second day of our trip w^e arrived at Bonneau, 
the nearest station to Camp de Souge, our destination. 



Tzventv three 



WHERE WE LIVED 



When first we enlisted. 

Our services to give, 

We never thought of the places 

A soldier could live. 

First we lived in the Armory; 
Not long did w^e stay. 
For the dust was so bad 
We had to bathe tw^ice a day. 

We lived in tents 
Made for just eight men. 
But, gee!! it w^as crow^ded 
When they packed in ten. 

We lived in sleepers 
For three days and nights; 
But that wasn't bad. 
For we saw all the sights. 

We lived in barracks 
With spring beds and showers; 
And here we were quarantined 
For six hundred hours. 

We lived on a transport 
With an English crew. 
Those two weeks of misery 
Made all of us feel blue. 

We lived in box cars 
And slept on our knees: 
'"40 Hommes — 8 Cheveux," 
Is the w^ay overseas. 

We lived with French people, 
And used their best bed. 
They treated us "tres bien " 
Is what we all said. 



The next day was different — 
We slept in a truck. 
And everything was lovely 
'Til the old Quad got stuck. 

We lived in French barracks 
Without any floor, 
With millions of flies 
And cooties galore. 

We lived in pup tents; 

We thought we would freeze. 

To get inside 

We crawled on our knees. 

We lived in dug-outs 
In company with rats. 
Some of them we know 
Were bigger than cats. 

We lived in the open, 
With mud knee deep; 
With everything wet — 
Even then we could sleep. 

We lived in stables. 

And that is no joke; 

Before night w^as over 

We thought we would croak. 

We lived in barns 
With plenty of coots. 
Next morning the fellows 
Were reading some beauts. 

We lived in billets 
And slept on the floor; 
But what's that to soldiers 
Returning from w^ar? 



We lived in hotels 
While over in France, 
But it w^as quite seldom 
We got such a chance. 

— Corporal L. E. Crane, Bonchamp, France 



Trventy-four 



CHAPTER IV. 
"TRAINING AND TRACKING" 

By Wagoner George E. Kelley 

It was with no small amount of anticipation that w^e looked forward to 
the camp in w^hich w^e w^ere to complete the last lap of our training and w^hich 
w^as to be the last stop in our long journey to the front. 

Of our arrival in Camp de Souge, Pvt. Roy Dale writes: "The camp 
w^as situated about four miles from Bonneau and by the time w^e had de- 
trained darkness had overtaken us. A long and tiresome hike soon began. 
During our first stop for rest, a couple of soldiers passing on horseback in- 
formed us that the camp was just around the corner, but neglected to state 
just how far w^e were from that corner. However, w^e found that it was about 
a mile and a half, and upon reaching this point we found, much to our dis- 
may, that vv^e were then only about half w^ay to our destination. Another 
mile or so found us in what w^as to be our home for the remainder of our 
training period — single story French barracks situated in the further corner 
of the camp. At midnight our beds were made on the soft concrete floor. 
This bothered us but little, however, for the jagged peaks of the Alpines 
w^ould have seemed comfortable to us that night." 

"Owing to the fatigue caused by the long ride and subsequent hike," 
writes Wagoner Benjamin Reynolds, "reveille w^as called off for the first 
morning. When we did fall out, about the middle of the forenoon, we went 
outside to look things over. 

"The first impression w^e received of Camp de Souge w^as far from fav- 
orable. As far as one could see there was nothing but low^, red-tiled bar- 
racks and sand. It w^as indeed a miniature Sahara. Along the far edges 
of the camp site could be seen a fringe of forest which later proved to be the 
curse of our existence. A huge sausage balloon riding lazily on the breeze 
off to one side of the camp added the only touch of interest to an otherwise 
discouraging scene. 

"But as this was to be our home for the next several w^eeks, wre settled 
down to make the best of it. We looked upon the sand in the light that 
'there is no great loss without some small gain,' since it afforded a very poor 
drill ground upon which to do 'squads east and west.' 

"Our training at first consisted mainly of instruction in the use of gas 
masks and each morning w^e w^ere given a lecture on the different kinds of 
gases, their action and the different methods by w^hich they w^ere projected. 
Following this came an hour or so of running races, playing leap-frog, and 
relaying messages with the mask adjusted. The morning drill period usually 
concluded with a hike of several kilometers. The afternoons w^ere taken up 
w^ith classes in French and schools in the care and operation of motor trucks. 

"The boys soon found that there was a group of cafes located just out- 
side the entrance of the camp and every evening a majority of the company 
might be found there cultivating the acquaintance of those famous tw^ins, *Vin 
Blanc' and 'Vin Rouge.' However, as everyone w^ithout a special pass was 
required to be within the camp limits by 8:30, very few w^ere out late at 
night. Call to quarters' sounded at 9:15, so everyone was assured of a good 
night's rest. 

"The Y. M. C. A. had several good buildings located in different parts 
of the camp and the nearest one to us was but a few minutes' walk from the 
barracks. The facilities and entertainments to be found there were greatly 
appreciated by the boys in the company. 

Tiventy-fivc 




Mess 
at 
Camp dc Souge 



"Our drill schedule continued for two or three weeks until the 52nd 
F. A. Brigade, of which our regiment was a part, took up range work. At 
that time we took over the work of hauling ammunition from the rail head at 
Bonneau to the various ranges and also furnished details of men to watch 
for and extinguish fires which might be started on the range by exploding 
shells." 

Early in August several officers were attached to the Train to fill up 
vacancies among the officers. We were fortunate in having 1 st Lieutenant 
Albert C. Donovan assigned to "A" Company on August 7th. Lieutenant 
Donovan had already served more than six months in France and through 
his experiences was able to give much information and instruction which 
proved invaluable to us later when we reached the front. 

Sixty men from the Train, including fifteen from "A" Company, left 
about this time for St. Nazaire, a seaport some 250 miles from Camp de 
Souge, to drive back the trucks to be used in supplying the artillery with 
ammunition. This detail was a welcome change from the monotony of camp 
life and afforded an unusual opportunity to see the country. 

Another duty assigned to the Train at this time was the erection of 
targets on the range. To the uninitiated this may sound like a very simple 
task. To the men detailed on this work it was anything but that. At about 
12:30 P. M. daily, the men assigned to the range detail (this usually required 
every available man in the company), blue denimed and armed with picks, 
shovels, mattocks, axes and other menial w^eapons, lined up and started for 
the range. It was about four kilometers out and six back. At least the dis- 
tance seemed to have increased that much on the return trip. 

About half the distance w^as fairly good traveling, but the remainder 
w^as just plain dust — the meanest, dirtiest, blackest dust imaginable. Three 
hundred men marching in this dust raised a cloud that made a London fog 
look like a plate glass w^indow^, so that by the time we had reached the 
scene of our labors our ears and nostrils w^ere filled, our eyes smarted so we 
could hardly see and enough of the dust had found its w^ay into our mouths 
to keep us chewing dirt for the rest of the day. Our w^ork on reaching the 
range w^as to erect a v/all of earth about four feet high and tw^o feet thick in 
a zig-zag direction for a distance of about half a mile. This represented a 
trench parapet w^hich w^as the object of the artillery fire. 

It was now August and the heat was intense. We would labor faithfully 
(?) in the oppressive heat all the afternoon and then plod our weary way 
back through the sand to camp, looking and feeling like a gang of coal 
heavers. When we reached camp tired, dirty and thirsty, we would slip out 



Twenty-six 



of our blue jeans and rush out to wash up, only to find the water shut off. 
The things we called that water system at such a time hardly bear mentioning 
here. 

At night and in the following forenoon the artillerymen seemed to take 
a fiendish delight in blowing our laboriously constructed wall to pieces. And 
the next afternoon we had the job to do over again. These range details 
covered a period of about ten days, but when they ceased an even harder 
job confronted us. This was fighting forest fires. 

As there had been practically no rain since we had reached camp, every- 
thing was as dry as tinder and it seemed as if every forest in the vicinity 
took fire simultaneously. This required details which not only took every 
available man in the company but usually every man in the regiment and 
once or twice every available man in the brigade. Often were we aroused 
from our pleasant dreams at 2 A. M. by the Top Sergeant's command, "Every 
man out for fire detail." Tumbling out of our bunks, we donned whatever 
clothing was available and hastening out clambered into the trucks waiting 
to carry us to the scene of the conflagration — perhaps six or seven kilometers 
distant. Here we battled with the flames until perhaps noon the next day. 
For a period of three weeks or more it seemed that there was always a fire 
burning within sight of camp. In fact, the fires became so prevalent that it 
became necessary for a number of men to be detailed each day to hold them- 
selves in readiness to respond to the call which was almost sure to come, and 
hardly a day passed that their services were not needed. 

On August 2 1 st, much to our dismay, an order came through, assigning 
Captain Olmstead to another branch of the service and relieving him from 
duty as commanding officer of Company "A." It was with a great deal of 
regret that we saw him go. The time when we were to leave for the front 
was rapidly approaching and we realized that we had lost much in the man 
whom we had come to rely upon almost as a father. We had hardly had 
time to recover from this feeling of loss when, much to our surprise and 
pleasure, the Captain reappeared before the company at retreat on the eve- 
ning of August 2 7th. The company was at attention when the "Skipper' 
arrived and it was with a strong effort that they restrained themselves from 
a cheer before being dismissed. 




Trucks al de Songe 

Twentv-seven 



During our stay in De Souge, Bordeaux, about twelve miles from camp, 
proved a great attraction to the boys. All were anxious to visit a real French 
city and passes were eagerly sought. The fare by taxi amounted to some 
sixty francs, or about twelve dollars in American money. However, trans- 
portation was provided every Saturday and Sunday for a limited number 
of the company. When one of us was told that he was eligible for a pass 
to Bordeaux he would attire himself in his best suit of O. D.'s, borrow a few 
hundred extra francs and, armed with a pass, would climb into a quad truck 
bent on getting a good look at the old city. 

Bordeaux is distinctly French in appearance, with its narrow, stone 
paved streets and narrower sidewalks. The main street, somewhat wider 
than the rest, well sprinkled with patrons of the out-door cafes with which 
the city abounds, and comparatively low three or four-story buildings present 
themselves in striking contrast to the higher structures of our larger American 
cities. 

M. P.'s were posted throughout the city and the man on pass who failed 
to observe the many rules of conduct soon found himself in difficulties. The 
efficiency of these M. P.'s can be vouched for by several in the company who 
carried second class passes some time after their trip to the city. The trucks 
always started back on the return trip to camp promptly at 9 o'clock and 
it behooved those who wished to return on time to be at the parking place at 
that hour. 




Txventy-eight 




One more incident will finish the story 
of our sojourn in Camp de Souge. One 
morning shortly before we left, the com- 
pany carrying light packs and sufficient 
rations for dinner went on an all-day 
hike. Finding a pleasant spot near the 
village of St. Medard, about six kilo- 
meters from camp, we unslung our packs 
and proceeded to enjoy ourselves. After 
resting a while, small fires were built and 
_i p-. •, our dinners were prepared. No meal in 

camp ever tasted better and it was fit- 
tingly topped off with fruit purchased by the officers from a vendor w^ho 
appeared on the scene at an opportune moment. After dinner we lounged 
about or took advantage of the opportunities offered for a swim. About six 
o'clock we again shouldered our packs and the hike back to camp completed 
the most enjoyable day we had spent since coming to France. 

It w^as now after the first of September and rumors that w^e were soon 
to leave for the front w^ere ever prevalent. We w^ere all more than anxious 
to get away from de Souge with its everlasting fire details and sand, and 
impatiently waited for the order to come for us to pack up. We were indeed 
a happy crowd when the order was received on the afternoon of Friday, 
September 6th, to prepare to move the following day. It was rather late 
when the barracks quieted down that night, but all were up before first call 
the next morning and were ready to go w^hen the command w^as given to fall 
in for roll call. It w^as with little regret that we bade Camp de Souge good- 
bye as we rolled dow^n the road past the artillery quarters and out through the 
gate, each truck piled high with its cargo of men and baggage. 

Of our trip overland to the front Private Jack Burrows writes: 

As our company led the long train of trucks on the first morning of 
the trip w^e w^ere the first to receive the honors rendered by the people along 
the route. As w^e passed through Martignas into Bordeaux, we w^ere greeted 
by the people w^ith a great deal of cheering and much w^aving of handker- 
chiefs and flags. Many of us may have felt a bit of regret on leaving the old 
city where we had found so much enjoyment, but that feeling was soon over- 
come when we realized that at last we were on our way to the front. Our 
first stop was made just outside Bordeaux, where we waited for the rest of 
the Train to come up. 

After traveling about one hundred and eight kilometers through a very 
beautiful country and over perfect roads w^e arrived in Barbezieux, w^here w^e 
spent our first night. The trucks were parked in a large square in the center 
of the town where the kitchens were soon set up. After mess we lined up 
and received our billet tickets and then set out to locate the quarters assigned 
to us. These we found to be the nearest thing to home w^e had yet experi- 
enced. With no M. P.'s in the town, the cafes probably did a larger business 
that night than they had known before in a month. With an early start sched- 
uled for next morning, however, an early hour found most of us taking full 
advantage of the beds placed at our disposal. 

At seven the next morning we were again on our way, this time bringing 
up the rear of the train. The country was at its best and far exceeded our 
opinions of the much praised beauty of southern France. The fields, a beauti- 
ful shade of green, rolled away from the roads into hills and farther away 
into mountains, finally losing themselves in the distant horizon. The houses 
and farms, very ancient and picturesque, showed signs of little improvement 
or change since the time of their construction, perhaps hundreds of years 

Twenty-nine 




On tlir Ti'Kv /(' the Front. 



before. Here and there along the roads could be seen beautiful old chateaux 
surrounded by charming green lawns broken only by the long winding drives 
leading up from the main highw^ay. About one hundred and two kilometers 
of this beautiful country was covered that day and at about 4:30 that after- 
noon we halted in Couhe Verac for the night. It was here that we had our 
first touch of the rain which was to make the remainder of the trip so un- 
comfortable. 

That night we were billeted in a 
large barn in the rear of the leading 
hotel, but as there was plenty of straw 
available, vs^e were able to make our- 
selves quite comfortable. However, 
those who were able to speak French 
found no difficulty in obtaining more 
comfortable quarters. A guard was 
established shortly after our arrival and 
as no one was allowed on the streets af- 
ter nine o'clock the men turned in early. 

It w^as still raining w^hen after our usual delightful breakfast of corned 
w^illy and hardtack we set out on the morning of the third day. With truck 
covers tightly drawn to keep out the rain w^e had little opportunity to observe 
the country through which we w^ere passing. Several larger towns lay along 
the day's route and in all of these the townspeople greeted us w^ith cheers 
and w^aving handkerchiefs. Everyone's eyes were open for the pretty girls and 
if one of them waved or threw^ a kiss every man claimed it as meant for him. 

Late in the afternoon we arrived at Mont Bazon, where w^e billeted for 
the night — some in a large barn and others in the town hall. An even stricter 
guard was established than before and the men w^ere obliged to curtail their 
pleasures that night. The rain continued all night and the outlook for the 
next day was anything but bright. 

Early in the morning of the 
fourth day we passed through 
the outskirts of the city of 
Tours. Everyone had heard 
much of the city which had for 
some time been the headquar- 
ters for the American forces 
and everyone hoped that w^e 
might pass through some point 
near enough for a glimpse of 
some of the higher officials. 
Although we took a round- 
about route we were not dis- 
appointed in not seeing more 
of the city for the suburbs 
proved very attractive. The houses were quite modern and presented a strik- 
ing contrast to the cottages w^hich w^e had passed along the route. On the 
outskirts of the city we passed along the foot of a rocky cliff w^hich was honey- 
combed with caves and dwellings of all descriptions, which presented some- 
thing very new^ and unique in architecture to us. From Tours our course lay 
along the River Loire which with its scenery added the finishing touch to the 
beautiful country. 

At noon a stop was made in Blois where we were allowed forty minutes 
for dinner. The rain had ceased and the sun was shining once more when we 
resumed the trip. Early in the afternoon we reached the city of Orleans 
w^here we stopped until the morning of the second day. 




Thirtv 



Orleans will long be remembered by the men, for with almost no restric- 
tions on our liberties our stay was most enjoyable. The city, with about one 
hundred thousand inhabitants, is typically French, with its narrow cobble 
pavements and sidewalk cafes. In fact, it was Paris on a small scale to us. 
And if there were those in the company who failed to find enjoyment during 
our stay there it was not due to the lack of opportunity or hospitality on the 
part of the inhabitants. It was there also that we met several American 
soldiers convalescing from wounds and heard with much interest their stories 
of the front and the action they had seen. Much might be said of our stay 
in the city; however, it is sufficient that it will long be remembered by all who 
were there. 

On the morning of the sixth day we again started off on our long journey 
to the front, with some regret at leaving the beautiful city of Orleans behind. 
And this feeling increased when the townspeople turned out in force to bid 
us goodbye and wish us luck. We traveled about one hundred and twenty 
kilometers that day and passing through Montagis arrived at Sens about four 
in the afternoon. Here we were assigned to barracks for the night. As the 
city boasted several good hotels and restaurants, the men found little diffi- 
culty in satisfying their wants. It was late that night when the barracks quieted 
down, for the men were beginning to realize that these days of pleasure would 
soon be over and with this realization came the determination to enjoy them 
to their fullest extent. 

About one hundred and twenty-eight kilometers had been covered on 
the seventh day when a stop was made for the night at Lignol. Here we 
were quartered in a barn which all agreed was far less comfortable than the 
good billets which we had hitherto enjoyed. As the town was quite small 
and not far distant from the war zone there was very little to do and most 
of us sought our blankets at an early hour. 

On the eighth day of our trip we arrived in Bar-le-Duc, where for the 
first time w^e saw the ravages of war in the results of several successful air raids 
made some time before by the Germans. No lights were shown in the city 
after dark and this brought home strongly to us the realization that we would 
soon be at the front. We were quartered in barracks on the outskirts of the 
city that night and before being dismissed were warned against traveling 
around the streets after dark. It was said that the city was full of spies who 
would stop at nothing to obtain an American uniform and such information 
as we might be able to give. The ninth day, Sunday, w^as spent in the 
city and most of the day was taken up in cleaning equipment. We w^ere 
allow^ed to w^ander about the street until nine o'clock that night w^hen w^e 
were ordered to report to the trucks. At tw^elve o'clock came the order to 
move and w^e w^ere off on the last few miles to the front. 










'^'^^rm^^^^^pm^^^^ 



Thirty-one 



CHAPTER V. 
"LET THERE BE NO LIGHT!" 

By Lieutenant .^. C. Doiioz'aii 

The last leg of our trip overland, made from Bar-le-Duc on a clear 
moonlit night, brought us, after a thirty kilometer ride, into the war zone 
to our camp site in the Bois de Nixeville, about eight kilometers south of 
Verdun. During the latter part of our trip we could see the "archies" firing 
at the enemy's bombing planes and the bright streaks from the allied search- 
lights as they tried to spot the raiders. 

Daylight found us just entering the woods with our trucks lined up out- 
side in plain view of enemy aviators. We had not then learned the necessity 
of camouflage. "Jerry" was soon overhead and with his long range cameras 
took our address. After some difficulty we found the barracks assigned to 
us and were just getting settled when, late in the afternoon, we were ordered 
to move. And a lucky move it was for "Jerry" was back that night with a 
flock of bombs and sprinkled them freely all over our previous camp site and 
dropped more plenty close to our new camp only a kilometer or two from 
there. 

Our first night was a "darb." We were all dead tired and sleeping 
soundly when an explosion like the end of the world brought us to our feet. 
A goodly sized can of high explosive had landed just outside our camp. 
Once awake we could hear the drone of the raiders' motors just overhead; 
and we all stood around, open-mouthed, our hearts beating double time, 
waiting for the next one to land in our midst and close "pronto" the history 
of the company and motor battalion as well. However, that one never 
landed or this story wouldn't have been written, but they dropped all around 
us — some big and some small — too close for our comfort. And in the midst 
of it someone hearing an anti-aircraft dud hit Mother Earth nearby yelled 
"Gas!" 

I will pass mercifully over this incident; the wild scramble for long for- 
gotten gas masks that were in the trucks, under baggage and everywhere but 
where they should be; each one trying to hold his breath according to 
instructions and ask where his mask was at the same time; the interminable 
time it took to adjust them and pass the word along; all this has left an 
indelible impression on our minds. Lieutenant Sweet, regimental gas officer, 
soon discovered that there was no gas and ordered the masks removed, 
much to our relief. Presently, when all was quiet and all were sleeping 
soundly again, some nut, his mind still laboring with the gas idea even in his 
sleep, gave the alarm again. Again the wild scramble for gas masks — this 
time in a more strategic position. And who will say how many of us, for 
just one fleeting moment, thought that if this was the war we had come 
three thousand miles to fight, it were better to leave the mask off and end it 
once for all. But this too was a false alarm and if any there were who 
finally concluded to end his troubles in the above fashion he was doomed to 
disappointment. Altogether it was some party, especially for "first nighters." 

The raid brought home the question of protection against future raids 
and forthwith we began frantically to dig trenches which would offer some 
measure of protection — at least more than the pup tents in which we lived. 
As long as we stayed in this camp, which was only a few days, we kept at 
this job, spurred on by recollections of past performances. 

The second night began the work for which we had come — the hauling 
of ammunition to the batteries, which were already in position, in prepara- 
tion for the great drive we knew was coming in the near future. This work 
was all done at night in order to screen our movements from the enemy as 
much as possible. We quickly became accustomed to night driving, without 

TInrtv-two 



lights, finding our way by maps, working through shell fire and worming our 
way through innumerable traffic jams. Bawling out the French drivers who 
habitually blocked the roads soon became a fine art. 

A few days after the bombing party we moved again, this time only a 
few hundred yards away to Bois de Sartelles. Here again we lived in pup 
tents and dug trenches, w^orked nights and splashed round in the mud days. 
It rained constantly during the day and cleared off habitually at night, bright 
and starry, with moon and all, inviting "Jerry" over with his cargoes of H. E., 
and he came every night thereby breaking up our much needed sleep. Every 
available truck was out each night with a large detail of men and nightly trips 
to the batteries, some of them more or less exciting, became part of our 
regular duties. 

Our stay in the Bois de Sartelles w^as also only a matter of a few days. 
From there we moved across the valley to the Bois de Ville, opposite the 
village of Baleycourt. Here again the mud was knee deep and slippery and 
the trucks navigated into the roads with difficulty. But we had barracks and 
sheds to protect us after a fashion from the perpetual rain and as this camp 
was to be more or less permanent we fought the mud and rain and tried to be 
comfortable. 

It was from this camp that we did most of our work preparatory to the 
big drive which began about midnight of September 26th. We moved whole 
batteries, guns and all to new^ positions and some of these positions w^ere 
perilously near the front line. It was from here that we carried ammunition 
to the advanced positions and established new dumps near them. This work 
was always carried on at night without lights and over roads slippery with 
mud and so jammed with traffic — motor, horse and foot — that it was an all 
night's job to get to Chattancourt dump and back, a trip of perhaps twenty 
kilometers. With us almost nightly was "Jerry" with his ash cans of H. E., 
coming always close enough to make us a bit nervous but always failing to get 
a direct hit. 

One of our most dangerous trips to the front was made on the night of 
September 24th. The night was bright and clear and the moon which we had 
long since learned to hate as an arch enemy was out in all its glory. We had 
fifty trucks loaded with small arms ammunition and signal rockets for the 
infantry. Our task was to get these trucks into Cumieres, a short kilometer 
behind our own front line on Forges Hill and in full view of the Boche lines 
on the heights across the Meuse. The trucks were sent into Cumieres two 
at a time and the ammunition was dumped in an old reserve trench which cut 
the road at right angles. It was an all night's job under the very nose of the 
enemy. Why he did not fire will remain an unsolved mystery; there is no 
question but that he saw the whole performance. 

On the evening of September 26th an order came for an officer and 
fifty men to report to one of the batteries of the 1 04th Field Artillery at 
Charny. The officer from the 1 04th who reported as guide had instructions 
to get us away from the battery positions before midnight. This confirmed 
our suspicions that the big drive was to start at that time. We started out 
at dusk but the roads leading up to the lines were so jammed with traffic that 
by eleven we had gotten only to Fromereville, about half the distance to our 
destination. By midnight we had worked out of the blockade and doubled 
back on another road, finding it impossible to go forward. We stopped on 
top of the crest just south of Fromereville and waited for the big show to 
begin. Promptly at 1 1 :30 the blackness was pierced by a thousand flashes 
as the batteries of 75s and 15 5s opened up the barrage. It was then we 
realized that we were watching the beginning of the greatest offensive in the 
history of the world. Presently, just behind us, a sixteen-inch gun let loose, 
nearly knocking us off the hill. After watching the show for nearly half an 

Thirty-three 



hour we returned to camp, tickled to death that we were on the south side 
of that barrage. At 5 :30 A. M. the doughboys went over the top and beyond 
and by ten o'clock we had the report of the advance all along the front from 
Verdun to the sea, w^ith all objectives easily taken. In many cases, as in our 
own sector, the doughboys had gone so far into enemy territory that the artil- 
lery had to stop firing for fear of hitting our ow^n troops. 

After this first successful rush the enemy's resistance stiffened and we 
settled down to a slow,steady and sometimes costly advance. The batteries 
were moved further forward, necessitating longer hauls over roads new to us 
and badly battered by our artillery fire as well as by the return fire of the 
Huns. One road in particular — the road over Forges Hill through Forges 
and w^est to Bethincourt — was in terrible shape despite the heroic w^ork of 
the engineers. It w^as under fire continually from German batteries across the 
Meuse who were, so far, unmolested, and had perfect observation on this 
road. During the day our trucks went over it only at long intervals and then 
had to run the gauntlet of shrapnel. At night though shelled continually the 
road itself w^as our w^orst enemy. The mud and shell holes combined to make 
it w^ell nigh impassable. But we went and the batteries to the north never 
lacked ammunition. 

Our trips into the enemy's country gave us an idea of what our shell 
fire had been. Little wonder that the prisoners who w^ere brought in that 
first morning w^ere scared half to death. Scarcely a trace remained of the 
Boche trenches and dugouts which had constituted before September 26th 
their front line system. Our artillery had done its w^ork well — destruction 
v/as everyw^here complete. 

Of our activities at this time First Sergeant A. M. Stewart writes: 

One of the trips not chronicled in the official report of the brigade and 
which proved to be one of the most exciting and dangerous trips the Train 
ever made occurred on October 9th- 10th. This trip warrants more than 
passing mention, since it was one of the few times that the Train was called 
upon to supply ammunition to a unit outside of the division to which we were 
.at that time attached. 

About noon on the 9th of October the 102nd Ammunition Train re- 
ceived an order to proceed to battery positions of the 1 3th Field Artillery 
north of Septsarges in the Argonne, at that time the most advanced battery 
positions of their division directly behind the third line trenches. From the 
fact that the order read that ammunition must be gotten through even though 
it took two trucks to pull one over the shell torn roads, it can be seen that 
the batteries were in dire need of ammunition. Fourteen trucks and one 
hundred and two men reported to Captain Olmstead, who was in charge of 
the detail. 

The train left camp about one o'clock and arrived at the ammunition 
dump at Chattancourt, a distance of about twenty-three kilometers, about an 
hour and a half later. There the trucks were loaded, each truck carrying 
forty-eight 155 shells as well as powder, fuses, etc. About dusk we started 
for the battery positions to the north, proceeding at a fair rate of speed 
until we arrived at the intersection of the roads meeting at Esnes. Here we 
encountered our first traffic jam. From then on our advance was very slow 
and we made our way forward a few feet at a time with difficulty. The road 
was choked with traffic — ambulances, trucks and tractors — all creeping along 
in the inky blackness. Here and there along the road could be seen a truck 
or caisson, damaged by shell fire or stuck fast in the mud along the edge of 
the road, overturned or thrust aside by the engineers in their unceasing efforts 
to keep the road cleared. It was along this road that we received our first 
welcome of the evening from the Boche. H. E., gas and shrapnel whizzed 
over our heads and struck close enough to make us rather nervous, disturbing 

Thirty-four 



^■■-■■■.t::-^-h^^^^^ 




Chatiaucourt 



Thirty -five 



the sleep of the ammunition handlers who had crawled under the tarpaulins 
and were vainly trying to catch a few minutes of much needed sleep. 

It was long after midnight w^hen w^e at last crawled into Cuisy, about 
five kilometers from Esnes, where we were to pick up a guide to the battery 
positions. After some delay caused by the search for the guide, w^e passed 
through Cuisy w^hich only two days before had been occupied by the Huns. 
It w^as there that we saw^ perhaps the best example of the havoc wrought by 
our artillery in the opening days of the big drive. Piles of stone with here 
and there a pinnacle of masonry were the only signs left to mark the site of 
a once prosperous little city. Winding our way through the town and up the 
hill towards Septsarges we encountered another traffic jam. Here we were 
again greeted with H. E. and gas and all around us could be heard the gas 
alarms of the doughboys in the reserve trenches along the road. Right here 
is where the writer of this narrative claims the distinction of putting on his 
gas mask the most times in the fewest number of minutes of any man in the 

A. E. F. 




Cuisy. 

Our guide then proceeded to direct us along what he considered the 
shortest and most direct route to the battery positions in direct contradiction 
as we afterw^ards learned to his orders. Proceeding down the road past coast 
artillery positions we branched off on a muddy track which proved to be 
but little more than a by-path. We w^ere proceeding along w^ith some diffi- 
culty when a somewhat excited artillery officer appeared and stated that the 
road was absolutely impassable, that it was under direct shell fire at the 
time and w^as a roundabout way to our destination. The guide, how^ever, was 
so insistent that it was decided to send one truck through and turn the rest 
of the Train back over the other route, up through the valley to Septsarges 
and then on through the town to the batteries which w^ere located a kilometer 
or tw^o to the north. While the trucks were being turned around the daw^n 
was slowly breaking and before w^e were again on the main road our artillery 
opened up with a barrage w^hich shook the ground and made speech im- 
possible. This barrage did its work. Only a few moments before the Hun 
artillery had opened up with its regular morning barrage and we had watched 
it creep up the valley tov^ards us with some apprehension. But as our 
artillery brought gun after gun into action the Hun fire died dow^n until only 
an occasional shell came over. 

Some time later we passed through Septsarges and along the road to 
the north where we saw the bridge which our lone truck had been obliged to 
cross. On this bridge we counted five direct hits made by the Hun shells. 

Thirty-six 



What might have happened had the rest of the Train attempted to follow 
this course is a matter of conjecture. In passing through the town and along 
the road the trucks were obliged to travel at intervals of three hundred yards, 
thus affording a much smaller target for the Hun gunners. Hardly had we 
passed through the town when a terrific explosion caused us to look back. 
We could see a dense cloud of black smoke rising from the center of the 
town and from this we knew that an "ash can" of H. E. had landed. The 
word was quickly passed along that one of our trucks had been struck and 
that both driver and helper had been killed. This, however, was soon dis- 
proved when all our trucks were quickly accounted for. 

We found the battery positions located just beyond the crest of a hill. 
There was no hard road leading up the incline and the heavily loaded trucks 
made little headway through the red clay and mud. The artillerymen soon 
came to our assistance, however, with a large German tractor, one of two 
of which they had captured in their advance of the two days previous. With 
this tractor hitched to the leading truck two or three trucks could easily be 
drawn up at once. Arriving at the battery positions , w^e found two batteries 
absolutely out of ammunition and w^ere ready to withdraw from their positions 
at a minute's notice. The ammunition was quickly unloaded and in an incred- 
ibly short time these pieces had added their voices to the deadly chorus. 

While unloading the shells we had the pleasure of seeing four Boche 
planes brought to earth directly over our front lines. Two of these were 
direct hits by our anti-aircraft guns and this gave us a good deal of satis- 
faction after the trials of the night before. 

The Train left the battery positions about one o'clock and after some 
delay caused by the congested traffic arrived at our station about six o'clock 
that night. All were rather tired and hungry but at the same time felt quite 
satisfied in making the trip without mishap. 

The camp w^as fired on almost daily for a period of two w^eeks by long 
range guns of large caliber, probably about twelve-inch pieces. Several 
casualties resulted though fortunately none in the company. Our only 
casualties in this camp consisted of two men, Edwards and McKnight, who 
were slightly gassed on one of the trips up front. There were many air 
battles constantly taking place overhead in this vicinity. One Boche machine 
was brought down just outside the camp after an exciting chase and the 
pilots, not seriously hurt, were taken prisoners. Several observation balloons 
were also burned within sight of camp. 

On October 1 3th w^e moved northw^ard in order to be nearer the action 
which had been steadily advancing. We took up an old French battery 
position near Le Claire consisting of a number of dugouts, some shallow and 
some very deep, and all infested with rats. The position was undoubtedly 
plenty large enough for a battery but the entire motor battalion of the Train 
was too large for it and we had to crowd close in the dugouts and then some 
spilled over into pup tents. 

Although our operations with the 33rd Division were confined almost 
entirely to the sector west of the Meuse in the Argonne, w^e were called upon 
several times to make trips which required us to cross the river. During the 
last few days of our work with the 33rd, our artillery took up advanced posi- 
tions along the Meuse at Consenvoye and it was in supplying these batteries 
with ammunition that we w^ere called upon to follow routes on both sides of 
the river. One of these routes crossed the river at Charny and followed the 
road on the east bank of the Meuse straight up to Consenvoye while the other 
led over Forges Hill north of Forges and up the west side of the river. The 
latter route made it necessary for the trucks ot cross the long causeway over 
the river before entering the town. This causeway was under direct observa- 
tion of the enemy and was under continual shell fire. For some distance 

Thirtv-seven 




Lc Claire 

before reaching the river the shells could be seen hitting on all sides of the 
bridge and in the water and there was always the question in our minds as 
we approached the turn in the road whether we would be as fortunate in 
getting safely across this time as we had been in the past. The Train was 
always split at this branch in the road and several hundred feet intervals were 
allowed between trucks. Happily we never met with any misfortunes. 

On October 1 4th we were called upon to furnish a detail of one officer 
and twenty-five men to establish a new ammunition dump at Gercourt, well 
up in the former Boche country. With a field range and two days rations we 
started out in two trucks arriving after a laborious trip at Gercourt where we 
were to meet a guide. We, of course, found no guide, which was not unusual. 
Of this detail Private L. A. Britt writes: 

We were here but a few minutes when "Jerry" greeted us with a shell 
which though poorly aimed landed near enough to make us fall on our faces. 
Here it was that Corporal Grobsmith made his famous mud-dive. We hur- 
riedly climbed into the trucks again and stopped about two kilos west of 
Gercourt. Here again we sought a home. Soon "Jerry" sent over some more 



Thirty-eight 



shells and it was then that we noticed his method of firing. The shells hit on 
both sides of us gradually creeping closer. Before he could get us, however, 
the trucks were unloaded and our equipment w^as safely stored in our new 
home but a short distance away. This was the furtherest advanced camp we 
ever established. After setting up the kitchen we looked about for a place 
to sleep and finally made our quarters in the remains of a former German 
battery position. Many direct hits had been made by our guns on this position 
but we found room enough — some in officers' quarters, others fifty feet under- 
ground and some in cubby holes which the Boche had used for storing 
ammunition. Much ammunition, well packed in wicker baskets, as well 
as playing cards, rabbit cages and a good deal of equipment of different kinds 
had been left here by the Germans in their hurried retreat. An abandoned 
gas alarm, a flat piece of steel, was used in our kitchen as a pancake griddle. 
While living here the Boche had had electric lights in the very deep shell- 
proof dugouts. His power plant, located in Gercourt, was the cause of the 
frequent and intense bombardments of the village. We were under fire day 
and night. At first we experienced some difficulty in sleeping but we soon 
became used to the constant shell fire. 

The day of our arrival a truck train brought up a large number of 
shells for the new dump v/hich we established at the junction of a narrow 
gauge railwa}' and the road. Two men stayed at the dump at all times and 
the work was carried on in reliefs. The shells were sorted and camouflaged 
to deceive "Jerry's" airmen. That this was well done is evident from the fact 
that not a Boche shell was dropped near the dump. The artillery caissons 
carried the shells from the dump and a record was kept of all incoming and 
outgoing ammunition. If a special kind of shell became scarce a hurried 
order to the rear quickly brought response and there were often 20,000 rounds 
in the dump at one time. 

We had been living in our new home for about five days when we were 
obliged to move and make room for some artillery which had taken up 
positions not far distant. Several narrow gauge cars were found along the 
railway and loading our equipment on them we proceeded to our new home. 
By pushing the cars up hill and coasting down we traveled about two kilo- 
meters west of Gercourt where we came upon a concrete dugout known as 
a German "strong box," two elephant iron huts and a camouflaged kitchen. 
Here we unloaded and made ourselves as comfortable as possible. 

The concrete dugout was strongly built with walls three feet thick and 
was both gas and bomb proof. It was here we discovered that the German 
camouflage was made of paper woven tightly to resemble cloth. 

Souvenirs of all kinds abounded machine guns, rifles, gas alarms 

and helmets — all left behind by the fleeing Huns. The gas alarm we used 
for our own protection and as there was much air activity near us we mounted 
a machine gun but never had occasion to use it. The helmets were used as 
wash basins and for heating water. As we were directly behind our light 



"-1,^ «i» 




Dugout at Gercourt. 

Thirty-nine 



artillery we were under constant shell fire. Several men had rather close 
shaves, one when a shell splinter went through a can he w^as holding in his hand 
and Bard was gassed so that he felt the effects for weeks afterwards. 

While in this camp we received word that a large number of Prussian 
prisoners had killed their guards and were roaming around free. From that 
time on our rifles were always kept close at hand. Many dead Germans lay 
in the fields but a short distance in front of us near the former German second 
line reserve trenches. These trenches, built in the side of a hill, contained 
beer gardens and reading rooms which were well stocked with furniture 
which we quickly appropriated for our own use. 

After a few days in our second home we were relieved by the French 
and rejoined the company at Le Claire on the 22nd of October. Upon our 
arrival we learned that the 33rd Division to which we were attached was 
being relieved and that we were to pull out the next day for a rest camp in 
the rear. 



TO THE TIN DERBY 

The shot and shell were ringing 
And machine gun bullets singing 

As I stood unloading shells beside the road; 
And with rain and mud bespattered 
And my slicker torn and tattered, 

1 was starting back to get another load. 
When a shell burst just before me 
And a splinter nearly tore me 

While another one descended on my head; 
You w^ere my sole protection. 
You lid of Ford perfection — 

Without you surely now I would be dead! 
So w^hen the war is ended, 
I'll have you neatly mended, 

And find a cozy place to tuck you in; 
For though I've cursed you and I've flayed you, 
By the Henry Ford that made you. 
You're better than a dugout, Hunk o' Tin! 



'Liciitriiaiit A. C. DoJioz'on. 



J'crdnn. X.n'Cinbcr 12, 1918. 





-^ X 



Forty 



/ 



CHAPTER VI. 
"FINI LA GUERRE" 

By Licit foiant 11. K. Sivcct and Wagoner Harold Page 

At last relief had come and on October 23, 1 9 I 8, we moved from our 
dugouts at Le Claire into the "rest area" — Verdun. The sights as we passed 
through Verdun were very interesting and we were momentarily speechless 
at the sight of such destruction. Whole sections of the city lay in ruins. Not 
a thing had been missed by the Hun shells. Upon leaving the city we passed 
through the historic gate on the northeast side. This strongly fortified gate 
surmounted by the battle-scarred towers presents a most imposing appear- 
ance and the barbed wire entanglements, used by the French in the recent 
defense of the old city, presented a striking contrast to the deep moat, an 
important part of the ancient defenses, with which the city is surrounded. 

After crossing the river Meuse we entered Fauberg Pave, just outside 
the walled city. This was to be our "rest camp." The barracks, massive in 
size, were built in the usual French army style. Entirely constructed of stone, 
with steel reinforcements, they were built to stand, and standing they were, 
though considerably damaged by shells and bombs. The building in which 
we were billeted had had its roof nearly blown away and portions of the 
walls had been torn by shells. It boasted few doors and no windows. Since 
Hun planes were numerous and very active in this locality great care was 
taken in regard to lights. It was necessary that the windows and numerous 
holes through which light might penetrate should be filled with bricks, sand 
bags, etc., but even then some light would occasionally shine through. When 
this was discovered by the guard, he never failed to yell, "Put out that light!" 
A short distance north of the barracks on the hillside were located several 
long range naval guns operated by American naval gun crews. These guns 
were constantly in action and were the daily objective of heavy fire from 
the Boche long range pieces, as well as the nightly target of the Hun airmen. 
These pieces were mounted on railway trucks and their positions were fre- 
quently changed much to the annoyance of the Hun gunners. Several times 
our sleep was disturbed when the guns opened up in the early morning bar- 
rages, for the concussion of the explosion was enough to bring us straight 
up in bed thoroughly awake. 





Aiiierieau Ahwal Guns at the Front. 

Every night in this sector, whether on the road or in the barracks, we 
witnessed a brilliant display from the many powerful searchlights encircling 
Verdun. They were very successful in spotting and driving off those pests, 
the German bombing planes, which tried but never succeeded in putting a 
single one of our much feared naval guns out of action. Day after day and 
night after night those historic hills resounded to the explosions of enemy 
shells and bombs. Verdun was the one vulnerable historic point on the battle 
line that "Jerry" most desired and this desire had cost him 350,000 men. 



Forty-one 



Each day we saw him 10,000 feet in the air photographing the city and 
the surrounding sector endeavoring to keep in touch with the citadel which 
he could never enter. We calmly heard the dull heavy explosions of our 
"archies" which often brought him down, or we watched an air battle high 
in the clouds and applauded loudly when the Hun fell in flames and we ex- 
claimed, "Another good German — a dead one." 

On October 23th we were attached to the 79th Division with whom we 
were to work while in this sector. Major General Joseph E. Kuhn, com- 
mander of the 79th, showed his appreciation of our work in a fine letter of 
commendation. 

Brief as this narrative must be it could not be complete without recalling 
the names and localities of the ammunition dumps from which we operated. 
The dump at Houdainville was cleverly located in an old stone quarry of 

immense proportions w^hose steep w^alls 
re-echoed to the noise of the loading, re- 
minding us of the palisades of New York 
in the days of Rip Van Winkle, resound- 
ing thunderously to the cannon balls 
hurled down the mountains by the old 
bearded druids. But unlike Rip, we 
were all awake helping to put "Jerry" 
to sleep for the next twenty years. It 
is now known to all that when he awak- 
ens from his long dream of world do- 
minion he will find the picture of Liberty 
over the old tavern door in place of the 
hideous features of the ex-kaiser. 

Not far from Houdainville was an- 
other dump artistically camouflaged in 
the hills. It had been in existence since 
the long dark days of the attack upon 
Verdun when the Hun nearly outflanked 
that ancient citadel of freedom. Had 
they succeeded in entering this famous 
fortress, with its miles of underground 
passages and well concealed emplace- 
ments, and taken as their own the hid- 
den city w^ith its invaluable stores of pro- 
visions and occupied the spacious and convenient quarters, so well protected 
that perhaps only an earthquake or some similar disaster could disturb them 
then, indeed, might the world tremble, for with this strategic point in the 
hands of the Huns what would prevent their steady advance and when would 
the German rule cease to be a pressure? To be sure the enemy occupied the 
two important forts, Vaux and Douamont, cleverly concealed in the hills a 
little northeast of Fauberg Pave, but only for a short tinie. 

The east bank of the Meuse was the scene of our liveliest experiences 
and our most interesting work. Two well remembered routes were used in 
going north to the battery positions — one, across the river at Verdun through 
Thierville and Charny and then back to the east side north of Bras, the other 
all the way up on the east bank of the river, which proved the better route 
through Bras. Vaucherville, Samogneux, Death Valley, Brabant, Consenvoye, 
Etraye and Reville. The exciting incidents in this sector were almost too 
numerous for our welfare. Every night the boys went through enemy gas and 
shell fire and our good fortune can only be described as miraculous. 

Among these miracles, an experience of Captain Olmstead comes first 
to mind. One day he had a train load of 155s at the 106th F. A. battery 




The ruins of the main 
street of Verdun. 



Forty-two 



VERDUN 





The Gates of I'crdnn. 




TJtc Cathedral of J'crdtin. 





The Moat Around 
Verdun. 



The Meuse side 
of the city. 



Forty-three 



positions along the road south of Brabant. An enemy shell exploded on the 
other side of the hill two hundred yards away and a fragment just missed 
the Captain's head, striking in the mud across the road. Our commanding 
officer of course thought of what a grand souvenir he would now have, so he 
quickly ran over and grabbed the piece of shrapnel and upon burning his 
fingers dropped it again more quickly. When the fragment had cooled 
sufficiently for examination it was found to be a wicked looking jagged piece 
of steel weighing two pounds. The Captain still has his souvenir and we still 
have our Captain. 

Another incident which we will never forget was the day when the Huns 
blew up dump No. 1. We had worked all day and night hauling up 75 s, 
mostly H. E. and gas and had stacked about 4,000 rounds when Fritz started 
to shell the dump. We stood about 200 yards away watching our labors go 
up in smoke, flame and clouds of dirt. 

When we managed to find time to think, we wondered what they meant 
bj' rest. Day and night we worked and the detail clerk was the most popular 
man in the barracks. We loved to hear our names called about midnight by 
the detail grabber, who would yell, "Detail going out on truck No. 41 1017, 
right away. Get two days' rations from Sergeant Hoover in the kitchen." 
These rations always consisted of corned willy or monkey meat, tomatoes and 
hardtack. These were the days when the boys ate their corned willy and 
liked it. 

One detail, which many of us remember, left Verdun about 3 P. M. 
with two days' rations, arriving about one-half hour later at the Thierville 
railhead dump. We started out from the dump with the trucks loaded to 
capacity with fuses, primers, powder, gas, shrapnel and "D" shells. We 
passed through the ruined town of Charny and crossed the famous Meuse 
bridge, which had been built up over night by American engineers under 
heavy shell fire, and entered Bras. Turning to the left we followed a camou- 
flaged road with a narrow gauge railway on one side and a line of trenches 
on the other. These trenches had been used by the Huns up to the time of 
the big drive on September 26th. Our journey took us up the right bank of 
the Meuse into what was once the town of Vaucherville, past the Red Cross 
first aid stations and numerous ammunition dumps and former German dug- 
outs and through the town of Samogneux, where traffic was always congested, 
along the very narrow slippery roads filled with shell holes, ruts and ditched. 
On approaching the three corners, friend M. P. halted us with "Jerry is 
shelling up there. Keep one hundred yards apart." This we had heard so 
often that we paid scant heed to it. At last we approached the battery posi- 
tions and asked where to dump the load. The answer as usual was, "I'll show 
you up to our new positions. We move again tonight." Then we went on 
in the gloomy darkness towards the front on the muddy shell-torn roads 
where Fritz had just been driven away the day before by our doughboys. 
We didn't doubt the M. P.'s word when we heard the shells whistling and the 
dull thuds when they exploded. We knew then that they were gas by the 
pleasing odor — someone yelled, "Gas!" Masks were donned double quick, 
sirens, claxons and all sorts of gas alarms sounded while we continued our 
trip to the new positions. The lieutenant said, "Just around the corner here." 
It seemed as though we were in the front line trenches and we weren't far 
from the Hun lines, for we could hear the machine gun bullets singing over- 
head as we unloaded. Then we returned and hauled the guns up to the new 
positions, after which we were told, "Now, all you have to do is to haul up 
four thousand rounds from dump number one and we'll be all set." Our 
spirits dropped for a minute, but we remembered that we had our issue of 
monkey meat and hardtack, so off we went until the work was done. On 

Forty-four 




Our Barracks, Paubcrg Pave (J\^rdu)i). 



arriving in camp we found ourselves just in time to be too late for supper. 
Again, as usual, we were "S. O. L.," but our good friend "Hoover," with his 
staff of greasballs soon fixed us up. 

These were the days when 
the intricacies of phychology 
entered into our situation, help- 
ing us more than we realized. 
Once we had reached the 
front, all the disaster which 
we knew others had experi- 
enced, was forgotten. We 
went about our tasks never 
thinking of danger — even 
scorning the idea of it — never 
for a moment believing that 
the Hun had a pill with our 
names written across it. This 
fact was responsible for the extremely high morale which existed in the 
company at all times. We were quite unconscious of the cause, yet it was 
there. 

On October 30th many of the boys had the opportunity of seeing a 
Boche plane brought down by an American anti-aircraft gun. Of course, 
it wasn't the first one, but it made an entirely different sight than any of the 
others, since the flyer did not try to evade the shells, but on the contrary, 
seemed to dive right into them. He was finally hit and landed about five 
kilos from Verdun, where the boys soon located the plane and collected the 
usual souvenirs. 

We ran the trucks twenty-four hours a day, because we had so few of 
them with which to haul the tremendous amount of ammunition required. 
The credit for the manner in which they stood up belongs entirely to the 
efficient mechanics in our company. They worked night and day greasing up, 
replacing broken steering knuckles or traveling many miles towards No Man's 
Land to bring in cripples. The company could never have stood the gaff 
without the willing and intelligent co-operation of these men. At the time 
it was marvelous to see the trucks go out every day as if they never broke 
down or never needed attention. But calm reflection now reminds us that 
the mechanics were on the job. 



'% 



nhmm 






Quad out of Action. 

Due to the rapid advance of the artillery during the days just preceding 
the armistice, we had unusual opportunities to see the results of the stubborn 
hand-to-hand fighting which marked the advance of the Americans along the 
east bank of the Meuse in the last days of the drive before hostilities ceased. 



Forty-five 



■•~sWr.r»^ 



The guns were advanced in a leap-frog fashion — a battery at a time, or 
in some cases, only one or two pieces. This necessitated longer hauls for the 
trucks and resulted in our covering much more territory than before when 
the ammunition for a battery was dumped in a designated spot. 

Perhaps the most interesting sights and those which represented the most 
striking pictures of the fighting were those along the route to Etraye and 
Reville through Death Valley. The v/oods on either side of the valley were 
filled with machine gun nests, cunningly hidden, v/hich had been abandoned 
by the Germans only at the last minute. That these had fulfilled the purpose 
for w^hich they were intended was evident from the unending stream of 
ambulances which filled the roads during the last few days of the fighting, 
and even days after the fighting ceased. Many of these nests, consisting of 
a small, shallow pit dug at the roots of a tree and screened with a little brush, 
showed the results of direct hits made by our artillery. 

The road through Death Val- 
ley was itself a mute witness of 
the stubborn battle. Along its 
entire length w^as scattered the 
wreckage of caissons and am- 
munition carts — blown from the 

shell-sw^ept road w^ith here and 

there the body of a horse or 
mule. Empty shell cases, rifles, 
canteens, ammunition and equip- 
ment of all kinds told the story 
of the hasty retreat and sw^ift 
advance. Passing through the 
valley and nearing Etraye, we 
saw the battlefield as it remained 
after the advancing infantry had 
passed. The scenes in all their 
horror stamped themselves inde- 
libly on our minds — the dead intermingled in every conceivable posture, the 
arms and guns of every description scattered around, the w^reckage and 
devastation — all left pictures in our minds which haunted us for days. 
These scenes w^ere common during these days just before and immediately 
following the armistice until with the end of the fighting came the salvage 
gangs and the burial squads and the country once more resumed the com- 
mon aspect of war-swept devastation. 

The morning of November 1 1 th came and at 6 A. M. we had news of 
the armistice being signed. Could it be possible that the Frenchman's favo- 
rite expression, "Fini la Guerre, " had materialized? With the new^s all details 
that w^ere out worked like demons to carry the last kisses for the conquered 
Huns. The zero hour was 1 I A. M., w^hen all hostilities ceased. Such a relief 
from the roar of battle is hard to realize. The air was still — not a shot could 
be heard. The chimes in the old Verdun cathedral pealed out the glad 
tidings. The war w^as over, slaughter w^as finished. Chaplain Tucker held 
services on the drill field that morning. The celebrations were carried on 
for many nights by the firing of star shells and colored rockets and blowing of 
whistles and sirens. Eleventh month, eleventh day, eleventh hour, nineteen 
hundred and eighteen, will always stay with us deeply inscribed in our mem- 
ories. On the evening of the day the armistice was signed, returning prison- 
ers started to flock into Verdun and from that time on for many days refugees 
flowed into the city in steady streams. 

One morning the news came to us that the war had commenced again. 
We w^ent outside our "caserne" and found that we had been surrounded by 
Russian prisoners returning from Germany. We were then informed that 
we would have to move. As moving on a minute's notice was now second 




German Machine Gun Nest. 



Fortv-six 




(jcniiaii "Sfraiig Box" 
nature to us, we rolled up our belongings and proceeded to the next building. 
We left our good stoves and many improvised bunks so the Ruskies could 
live in style. 

November 28th, Thanksgiving Day, with packs on our backs, we hiked 
to Belleray, a distance of seven kilometers. This w^as a very pleasant w^ay to 
spend Thanksgiving, as we were glad to get out of our crowded quarters 
and away from the Bolsheviki. Belleray w^as some place, compared with our 
former homes. We lived in houses from which the former Bellerites had 
fled during the attack on Verdun. Our Thanksgiving dinner, although pre- 
pared on moving day, when we usually went without eating, w^as a great 
spread. It consisted of monkey meat camouflaged in such a w^ay that the 
oldest veteran would have been unable to identify it; mashed potatoes, 
celery, peas and coffee and excellent apple cobbler w^ith real sugar sauce. 
The canteen presented each man with a bag containing nuts, chocolate, apples, 
cakes and cigarettes. Along with our dinner came the ever persistent rumor. 
This time it was that the 2 7th Division was to be one of the first divisions to 
go home. This was welcome, since we had been relieved from duty with the 
79th w^hile at Verdun and were again a part of our own division. 

Monsieur "Cootie" made his appearance known w^hile w^e w^ere here. 
The members of the company commenced to use elbow grease on the body 
and the pleasant task of "reading the shirts" began. We then learned M'sieur 
Coot had brought his family with him. The Coot army w^as given as miser- 
able a reception as w^e gave the Boche. It consisted of mercurial baths in 
boiling water, consequences — cooties fini. Drills, hikes, check-up inspections, 
wood hunting and souvenir discarding took up our extra time. 

On December 2nd we were reviewed with the brigade by Major General 
McNaer, chief artillery officer, at brigade headquarters near Verdun. 

Reville, 5. A. M. December 10th, breakfast and all packed up ready to 
go at 7 A. M., we started for the train and arrived at Dugny, a seven-kilom- 
eter hike, a short time later. There we stood around in the mud and rain 
until eleven o'clock that night. This time it w^as not to be an overland trip 
on trucks nor in "40 hommes," but on the contrary, it w^as in the U. S. army 
side-door pullmans, sixty-five men in each. We entered the box car soaked 
to the hide, carrying our monkey meat, beans, tomatoes and hardtack. There 
we remained packed tightly together until 7 A. M. December 1 3th, with the 
exception of two five-minute stops, w^hen w^e stretched our legs and imbibed 
some lovely French coffee "avec rhum," regretting very much that no seconds 
were served. After leaving the train at La Chappelle-Athenaise our new 
Major, without his pack or overcoat, hiked us double time eight kilos to 
Montsurs, w^here we were greeted by our billeting detail. 

Forty-seven 



CHAPTER VII 
"WAITING" 

By Sergeant J. R. Ryan 

Of our stay in Montsurs but little need be said. Though only a small 
town of perhaps three thousand inhabitants, the cafes and shops proved very 
attractive for the first few days at least, to those accustomed to the dull same- 
ness of the life at the front. Within a few days, however, the novelty of being 
again in a locality untouched by the devastation of war wore off and we 
settled down to a more or less monotonous routine which was only broken 
by an occasional hike and more or less regular mess calls. Hence, when the 
order came about the middle of December for "A" Company to take over 
the M. P. duty in the brigade area, it was received with a feeling of relief. 

Small detachments of the company were scattered around in the little 
towns in the area, while the main body of the company were stationed at 
Laval, the largest town in the vicinity. The company left the remainder of 
the train and arriving in Laval on the morning of December 22nd, took up 
quarters in a vacant French barracks in the city. 

Laval, with its winding river, ancient castle and old buildings, held much 
that was of interest to us and the time not spent on actual duty was taken 
up for the most part in visiting the many interesting places in the city. A 
detachment of M. P.'s from our own division co-operated in the police work 
and little trouble was experienced with the large number of troops which 
visited the city. 

As our quarters afforded poor facilities for a Christmas dinner, arrange- 
ments were made for the entire company, and regular M. P.'s as well, to be 
fed at the Hotel Moderne. Trucks were sent out to bring in the men from 
the small towns and at 1 o'clock Christmas Day the entire company enjoyed 
their first and only Christmas dinner in France. Thanks to the able super- 
vision of Bard, the affair proved a complete success. The profits of the 
canteen paid the entire cost of the dinner, — five courses and two kinds of wine. 



■4' — N. C - Lnval - Z-c ^ieux Pon' tt le ci«;c.?i. 







Forty-eighl 



Laval. 



Our stay in Laval was short, however, for w^ith the Christmas dinner came 
the rumor that we were to be reheved in a few days and were to start for 
a port of embarkation within a short time. Rehef came within the next two 
days when a battalion of M. P.'s from the "Old 83rd" moved into the 
city and took over the brigade area, and on the morning of December 29th 
v/e rolled our packs preparatory to the hike, which we believed would prove 
the first step towards the port of embarkation and home. 

After a hike of perhaps five or six kilometers, w^e arrived in the little 
village of Bonchamp, where the company was split up and assigned to what 
proved to be the best billets w^e had enjoyed since our arrival in France. Each 
billet boasted at least one fireplace and the men lost little time in making 
themselves comfortable. 

Check-up inspections, new^ clothing issues and equipment inspections 
took up much of the time for the first week or two following our arrival. The 
town itself proved most interesting and pleasant, with its hospitable cafes and 
friendly inhabitants and soon w^e realized that this, indeed, w^as the best 
part of our stay in France. The Cafe Fricot, "Louie's," soon became the 
unofficial headquarters for the company and at almost any hour of the day 
at least a platoon could be found grouped around the small tables playing 
cards, sipping coffee, or passing the idle hours in writing home or enjoying 
some magazine obtained from the canteen. 

On January 30th may of us obtained our first sight of the Commander- 
in-Chief of the American Forces in France when, v^ith the 52nd Field Artillery 
Brigade, 'we were reviewed by General Pershing. Few^ of us w^ill forget the 
impression we received as he passed down the long line of companies drawn 
up on the roadside and w^ith his staff inspected each man, stopping here and 
there to chat with one who w^ore a wound chevron or making some quiet 
comment to the officers who accompanied him. Many of us had caught 
glimpses of the General's car or of the Chief himself on various occasions at 
the training camp or later at the front, but this w^as the first time we had had 
an opportunity of the nearest thing military to a personal meeting. 

That the mutual impression was most favorable was evident from the 
remarks heard from the men on their return to the billets and the commenda- 
tion received at brigade headquarters from General Pershing. 

Rumor followed rumor during the days that followed until, w^ith the 
inspections made by the port of embarkation medicos, they gained substance 
and finally our hopes were realized when the order was received to prepare 
to move for a port on February 25th. The day came at last, and as truck 
load after truck load of the company bade goodbye to Bonchamp and left 
for the entraining point. La Chappelle-Athenaise, followed by the cheers and 
farew^ells of the townspeople, we knew that our remaining days in France were 
numbered. 

Shortly before leaving for embarkation, an order came though, detach- 
ing all men with which the company had been filled up prior to leaving for 
overseas. With these men v/ent Lieutenant Donovan, in charge of all men 
drawn from Camp Custer, Michigan. About twenty-five men left the com- 
pany at this time. 

Leaving La Chappelle-Athenaise about five o'clock on the afternoon of 
February 25 th, we made what the train crew claimed to be a record run, and 
arrived in the railroad yards at Brest about eight o'clock the next morning, 
upon detraining, orders were given to unsling packs and fall in for mess. This 
w^as served in the large mess shacks adjoining the railroad yards, and certainly 
helped out on the long hike to camp which lay before us. 

Under full packs the long uphill hike soon began and finally proved to 
be a longer march than the one which greeted us on our arrival about eight 
months before. We passed the site of our former camping grounds and found 
it hardly recognizable, for what had then been a level field, broken only by 

Forty-nine 



hedges, was now covered with permanent wooden barracks capable of hous- 
ing a very large number of troops. 

Much to our satsifaction our stay in Brest proved a short one, but not 
short enough to escape the daily stevedore details and a taste of the very severe 
marine discipline which governed the camp. A final "show^ down" inspection, 
preceded by a physical inspection, completed the preparations and require- 
ments for embarkation and on the night of March 2nd many of us found sleep 
out of the question, too happy in the knowledge that we were to go on board 
a transport at an early hour next morning. 



RUMORS 

I hear we're going home soon, I got it pretty straight; 

The Colonel's chauffeur told my pal we'd not have long to wait. 

A couple more inspections and we'll be at our best. 

And then we'll "partie, tout suite" for St. Nazaire or Brest. 

I hear the leaves to Paris and other parts of France 
Have all been stopped by G. H. Q., so do not take a chance. 
The Corp. who goes without a pass will sure be out of luck; 
When he comes back he's sure to find he's nothing but a buck. 

I hear the doughboys move next week, perhaps it isn't so. 

But dope from their headquarters says that they're the first to go. 

They're through with all inspections and also two reviews. 

With gladened hearts and brightened eyes they welcomed this glad news. 

I hear tomorrow's pay-day, and nothing could be better; 
We'll square up all our debts again right to the very letter. 
Perhaps we'll breeze down to Laval and stage a goodbye party. 
And on our homeward way we'll sing and feel fine and hearty (?). 

I hear we are not going home — sad blow to our elation; 
Our lot will be in Germay with the Army of Occupation. 
We'll have to hike for miles, or rather beaucoup kilos. 
Instead of sailing for our homes on the sparkling, briny billows. 

We've heard ten million rumors, and not a one came true. 
As yet we haven't left for home, our pay is over due. 
The doughboys haven't gone yet — it's all a lot of bunk. 
The guy who peddles rumors should change and deal in junk. 

—Sergeant Walter Hole, Bonchamp, France. 



Fifty 



CHAPTER VIII 
''HOME" 

By Wagoner Geo. Kelley 

The day we were to start the last lap and the "home stretch" came on 
March 3rd. To better realize its importance we were again up before the 
sun and w^ere w^ell on our way to Brest when the first rays of light found their 
way through the rain. What matter if our packs were heavy and it rained? 
We were on our way home. It w^as well, too, that we felt that w^ay, for it 
was nearly seven hours before w^e dropped our packs, this time on the upper 
deck of the U. S. Transport "Mount Vernon." 

This ship, it will be remembered, was the former North German Lloyd 
"Crown Princess Cecile," which made the hazardous run from Bar Harbor 
to Boston inside the three-mile limit at the opening of the war. In 1917, the 
Germans torpedoed her at a point about one day out of Brest. She was able 
to limp back into the harbor with her cargo of American wounded and was 
there temporarily repaired. Later she w^as taken to Boston, where she was 
completely overhauled. Our return voyage was the first trip made by trans- 
port after leaving Boston. 

Our company for fortunate in being one of the tw^o companies chosen 
as ship's guard. This duty proved far from unpleasant, and with the movies 
and entertainments provided by the Red Cross, Y. M. C. A. and other organi- 
zations helped to pass the long days of ocean travel, and as we came nearer 
and nearer our own side of the big pond we were all in the best of spirits. 

"As home his footsteps he hath turned from wandering on a foreign 
strand" — a grand and glorious feeling. And we all had it as w^e sensed that 
w^e were nearing New York. At three in the morning under each electric light 
we were busy with our packs and when these were ready we lined the rails 
and watched for the first lights off New York. Just lights, common electric 
lights in the distance on that early morning, but what a welcome they were 
to us! America never had such admirers as we who were just returning to 
her open arms and to us each one of those lights spelled "HOME." 

It was still dark when we passed the Ambrose Light Ship, but dawn 
crept upon us as we neared the Statue of Liberty and farther in w^e could see 
the harbor with its ferry boats filled with cheering passengers, and last and 
best, the pier w^here we were to dock, filled with Red Cross w^orkers and eui 
accommodating brass band. And when that band cut loose with "Hail! Hail! 
The Gang's All Here," w^e knew^ we w^ere home at last. 

We weren't allowed to get lonesome while we waited our turn to go 
ashore. Committee of Welcome boats drew in around us and started a 
shower of apples and oranges, which were the beginning of the series of 
handouts we received as we left the "Mount Vernon" and marched to another 
pier, where we boarded a ferry for Weehawken. There a strange thing 
occurred. A train with cushions in the seats was standing there waiting for 
us and as soon as we got aboard it started and without sidetracking carried 
us directly to the little station of Dumont in New Jersey. Here we again 
adjusted our packs and pounded our "hobs" along the asphalt pavement 
leading into Camp Merritt. 

With the exception of perhaps the first twenty-four hours, our stay in 
Camp Merritt can only be recalled with a bit of pleasure. Within a few hours 
after our arrival we had passed through the delousing and cleaning-up process 
and were allowed the freedom of the camp. According to A. E. F. stan- 
dards, Merritt could hardly be called a "camp," for with its theaters, dance 
halls, cafeterias, reading rooms, libraries and other places of recreation and 
amusement it afforded none of the hardships usually connected with an army 
camp. 

Fifty-one 



Twenty-four-hour passes were given to the New York city members of 
the company almost as soon as we were settled in the new green-stained 
barracks and during the most of the thirteen days of rest there the little slips 
were given freely. The "Apple Knockers," too, had their chance to see Syra- 
cuse, Fonda, Oneida and even Red Creek and Horseheads on seventy-two- 
hour leaves. That was "soldiering" as we like it. 

On the 24th of March, the day before the one set for the big parade 
in New York City, we were pulled out at about three in the morning and at 
five o'clock were between our packs and the hard road on our way to "Alpine 
Landing." At the end of that hike all agreed that the landing had been 
fittingly named. The trip on the ferry boat down to New York and then by 
elevated railway to the 8th Coast Artillery Armory was uneventful and not 
half as exciting as the fact that as soon as we reached our destination we were 
dismissed until six o'clock next morning. 

Some of us tried to renew acquaintance with the whole city within this 
short time, but we failed, and many were somewhat weary even before the 
parade started as we waited our turn in the long procession on the curbs of 
Thirteenth street. Still we threw our shoulders back and drew in our chins 
a little farther each time as we passed a band or were cheered by the surging 
crowds which lined Fifth Avenue. Although a parade is supposed to be 
quite a formal affair, it was impossible to carry this formality very far, as we 
charged full speed along the board avenue. 




Tlic I 'ictory Arch. 

Of course, we didn't do "double time" all the way, though it seemed 
like that to some, and all that avenue of banners, cheering crowds, confetti, 
oranges and apples were perhaps little noticed through the drops of perspira- 
tion which came down from under the tin hats. But it was great — a big day 
and one which will long be remembered both as the climax of the military 
career of most of us and as the last day we were to have those members of 
our company who claim the w^estern states as their place of abode. 



Fifty-Hvo 



Back in the Armory we were again excused until next morning, when 
we were to start by rail for Camp Upton. This trip, too, was an orderly 
affair and Camp Upton — well, what the camp had for us all w^e cared partic- 
ularly for, our discharges and our final pay. 

The necessary papers were finally signed and on April 3rd, 1919, Com- 
pany "A," 102nd Ammunition Train was physically dissolved with the pres- 
entation to its members of a $60 bonus and honorable discharge papers. 
With these we have returned to our scattered homes to go through again in 
mind what we have been through together. And who can truthfully say that 
our "Company A" shall not continue for years to come? 



Fifty-three 



THE OFFICERS OF COMPANY "A" 




Lieut. Donovan Copt. OJmstead 



Lieut. Szvect 



Fifty -four 



Company "A" was fortunate in its officers — none were courtmartialed. 

That "The Skipper," Captain H. N. Olmstead, was popular was ex- 
pressed when he was transferred, w^e feared permanently, it proved to be for 
a short time only. Liberal w^ith loans — not quite so w^ith passes; fond of 
his men, but often w^orried about them; a good soldier, a considerate officer, 
and best of all — a gentleman. 

First Lieutenant A. C. Donovan believed in getting everything possible 
for the men. Full of w^estern push and "pep," he instantly set things stirring 
after he joined us at de Souge. An ardent believer in good mess — and of 
mess fund contributions; a good French linguist — not as good an English 
poet; a connoisseur of pipes; a good disciplinarian — but decidedly human. 
(Especally as an M. P. officer in Laval.) 

Second Lieutenant H. K. Sweet (but a first "Looey" after the armistice) 
— rockribbed Republican, although a fellow alumnus of the President. Broke 
all records in the Ammunition Train for rapid promotions; a believer in free 
interpretations of the drill regulations and, toward last, an ardent collector 
of w^ar souvenirs and a persistent grantor of newspaper interview's. 



F-'iftv-five 



A GROUP OF NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. 




Hole Vroman Jackson Tenuis Ryan 

Steztart Kirkpatrick Shafer Gere 



Fifty -six 



The best liked and most beloved men in the army are the non-coms, 
especially the sergeants. No matter what happens, they are always blamed. 
In this respect the N. C. O.'s of this company did not differ materially from 
those of any other outfit. Each had his faults and little peculiarities as well as 
his redeeming vices. 

Naturally the "topper" comes first, and indeed why not, for owing to 
his heavy responsibilities he is surely entitled to the place of honor. "A. 
Mills Stewart" by name, genial and smiling by nature, handled the job in a 
most creditable manner and with minimum of dissention. 

Next is our Supply Sergeant, Charles A. Shafer, who catered to our 
needs with a whole-hearted interest rarely found in one of his position. If 
"Shafe" had the stuff it was ours for the asking. It was no fault of his that 
our clothing didn't always fit, or that there were but two sizes issued — "too 
large and too small." 

William Stanton Gere, line sergeant, was always energetic, keeping "in 
shape" by daily runs and exercises. He was usually reserved, but was all 
animation on the drill grounds. His extensive French vocabulary helped him 
out of many a pinch and won him many smiles from the chic demoiselles. 

Shortly before leaving France one of our old sergeants, Walter Hole, 
returned to the company after a long stretch of detached service. Except for 
a few^ weeks spent on the Belgian front, he spent most of his time "touring" 
France, making three trips to Paris. Walter was generally known as an 
ambitious chap and semed to have a faculty for not hearing bugle calls, 
especially reveille. 

Charles W. Kirkpatrick, better known as "Kirk," had vocal ability which 
entertained us in all kinds of surroundings. He should really be termed "The 
versatile sergeant," as he proved equal to every special duty detail that came 
along. Kirk used to "'cast an eye" at every opportunity — roads, company 
streets or mademoiselles — all were in his line. 

Foster G. Jackson, another line sergeant, had a mania for souvenirs and 
added a peculiar French briar to his large collection of pipes. "Jack" and 
the pipe were to be seen at the head of the mess line thrice daily. On his 
appearance the bugler knew it was time to blow "soupy-soup." Foster's chief 
position was that of right guide of the company, especially on review^s and 
parades. 

J. Ralph Ryan, line sergeant, rejoined the regiment at Bordeaux, after 
a short period of detached service. He w^as heartily w^elcomed and the glad 
hand was in evidence. He was one of the many who were somewhat annoyed 
by the rats at the front. The toughest part of the war for him was getting out 
this book. 

Denman C. Thro, a very popular sergeant, w^as not long with us after 
the armistice was signed. He was taken ill w^hile w^e w^ere billeted in Belleray 
and was removed to a hospital. We all regretted "Darb's" leaving, for his 
ready wit and good humor was a source of entertainment. He also had very 
taking w^ays and seldom returned from a trip to the lines w^ithout bringing in 
some salvage — a saddle, or an O. D. bicycle. We repeat he was popular and 
had very taking ways, especially w^ith the fair sex. 

Corporal J. Carl Vroman, without doubt the most willing and conscien- 
tious w^orker of the bunch, w^as the company clerk and "detail grabber." He 
was on the job at all hours day or night and details were always promptly 
filled. He also gave valuable assistance on the paper w^ork, for he swung a 
wicked pen. 

Corporal Thurlow E. Tennis, who hails from the state of Iowa, handled 
the paper work of the company ever since it w^as organized. He was un- 
equalled w^hen it came to tickling a typewriter and clicked the keys with a 
speed and regularity of a riveting machine. Next to going home, his big 
desire w^as to get back into those "knock em dead " shoes. 

Sergeant Walter Hole. 

Fifty-seven 



THE MECHANICS 




Mannuig Markhain Dunham Tucker Staubrooh 



Fifiy-ciglit 



THE MECHANICS 



Harken to our brave mechanics! Few they were — but five in number. 
At the front they toiled and labored — toiled long hours with little slumber. 
Steering knuckles, carburetors, worked like magic 'neath their fingers. Long, 
long ago did all this happen, yet in our minds this memory lingers. 

Sergeant Manning, mired near Forges, on a hillside torn and battered — 
on a slippery stone he stumbled, into a muddy lake he tumbled; came up 
dripping, mud bespattered; spoke hot words, an angry man; spoke wild words 
of condemnation on the Kaiser and his clan. 

Sergeant Stanbrook long will ponder, many days to come will wonder 
how it happened — how in thunder could a truck come to such harm? Nothing 
left except the wagoner with a "mag" beneath his arm. 

Corporal Markham, how he labored, how his voice rose high and quav- 
ered, when the spark-plug ceased its sparking and the gas line went sky- 
larking. Tore his hair and cursed the boat when the motor worn and weary 
ceased its labor — ceased to "mote." 

Corporal Dunham, tireless worker, heaved and tugged and cussed the 
shirker who had left his truck deserted, sunk waist high in slippery mud. 
How he pushed and shoved and carted tools with which to get it started, nor 
seemed to hear the whine and whistle of any shell or deadly missile whether 
gas or "dud." 

And last our chief mechanic. Tucker, how his brow would frown and 
pucker when a driver, needing succor, called him from his easy bunk. But 
from that bunk he'd quickly clatter and sally forth to mend the matter, drag- 
ging with him all his junk. 



Pi{t\-nine 



THE COOKS. 




Christcnscn Reed F. Hoffman 

Dale Hess 



Stxt-i 



THE COOKING STAFF 

It was back in the Armory at Syracuse that our original staff was formed. 
Cooks Kelley and Christensen were getting acquainted with the cuHnary art 
as practiced in the army, while Mess Sergeant Reed spent his time at the new 
canteen. However, at Camp Wadsworth, everyone had a chance to work 
and the competition between the staffs of Company I and Company 2 began. 
The companies messed together. Jim Kelley and Frank Schmitt held up the 
cooking end for Company I , while Rausch, Vroman and Brooks took turns 
as mess sergeant. At the reorganization the companies were combined to 
form the new "A" Company and "2's" cooking force was left in the field. 

Rationed on the "cash and savings" basis, we had saved enough money 
by Thanksgiving to put across one of the best feeds imaginable. The interior 
of the mess shack was trimmed for the occasion by Charlie Lotheridge and 
presented a most pleasing appearance. Printed menu cards with thirty-three 
items leaned again the glasses of sparkling punch and the dinner itself has 
been a topic for pleasant thought ever since. 

Shortly after that day our scientific cook George Kelley resigned, to 
take up a heavier mixing job, Vk^hich resulted in a cement floor in our new^ 
kitchen. The company carpenter, St. Pierre, joined forces and soon the zinc- 
topped tables, cupboards and shelves were an object of envy to its neighbors. 

"Christy" then moved up to first place and turned out even more of his 
specialty — biscuits. Jim Kelley filled the new vacancy and soon became 
noted for his lemon flavored chocolate puddings. 

Student cooks were called forth and a new wonder was unearthed, "Bill" 
Hess, who had kept his knowledge strictly to himself until he was coaxed into 
making some cakes. Our hats are off to Bill. 

About the same time came that hard working soldier, Frank Hoffman. 
Frank's favorite expression was "to figure" and the way he "figured out" 
breakfasts and dinners w^as amazing. 

The last addition was a long, lean soldier, known as Dale, Ray Dale, 
who became a member of the cooking staff at Camp de Souge, France. Ray's 
specialty was pie, but during most of our stay in France his specialty might 
better have been some style of camouflaging "corned willie." 

Sergeant Bert G. Reed. 



Sixty-one 



SQUAD NO. 1. 




Curtis Fletcher Bitrrozvs Adamson Rickzvalt 

Lyons Crane Sullivan Odajian 

This is a picture of squad number one, 

A bunch of guys full of spirit and fun. 

Sometimes they would crab, like good soldiers should. 

But wherever you sent them they always made good. 

Crane was the corporal of squad number one; 

He and his fiddle furnished the fun. 

"That's it" and "You're right" was all he would say, 

But was always right there to drive dull cares away. 

When at the front he went on details "beaucoup," 

But the signing of the armistice made him think he was through. 

Harry Odajian of New York taxi fame — 
To drive a truck at the front was his one big aim. 
When his health came back they gave him a quad, 
But the darn thing was minus a spring and a rod. 
That didn't stop him, nor did a "Jerry" shell. 
For he went on his way, going like h — 1. 

Lyons comes from Solvay and Ed is some boy, 
Sometimes he was crabby, sometimes full of joy. 
Whenever you saw him you saw his old pipe. 
But it sure was beginning to smell quite ripe. 
When a piece of shrapnel knocked off Eddie's lid. 
His pipe was still going and so was the kid. 



Sixty-two 



Sullivan — handsome, with his hair long and red; 
On the Rue he would knock all the French girlies dead. 
But Bill never fell, he would always declare 
He w^as true to the girl that he left "back there." 
Then the time came, real action was near, 
But that boy from Seventy-toid street knew not the word fear. 

Fletcher and Burrows were pals from the start; 

No matter what happened you couldn't keep them apart. 

Whether eating or sleeping or ducking a shell. 

You would find them together to see if one fell. 

But oh! how those boys were envied by all, 

Every time that the bugler would blow "mail call." 

From w^hence those letters came no one ever knew. 

But the fact still remains that they got "beaucoup." 

While in the dugout with rats at the door 

Ed Adamson would always be given the floor. 

He would preach on the Bible and talk against booze 

Till some one would hand him an old pair of shoes. 

But as a soldier, he w^as aces high; 

At the front he was ready to do or die. 

And Rickwalt, our heavyweight, to him goes the piize; 
They couldn't get clothes anywhere near his size. 
But he handled big shells as though they were buns 
And delighted in watching them cop off the Huns. 
No matter what happened, no matter what place. 
He was always good natured, a smile on his face. 

And then we have Curtis from Tolsey, Okla. 

He sure liked the French demoiselles — oo la-la. 

When not peeling spuds or carrying water. 

He was out promenading with somebody's daughter. 

But Ernest's main business, we were later to see. 

Was chasing the Boche back to old Germany. 

There's one absent member whose picture you can't see; 

He left some time ago for far-off Germany. 

He amused the whole squad with his singing and tricks. 

His dancing and juggling a pair of broomsticks. 

We miss Freddie Conklin, he was a good scout; 

And we hope he is with us when we're "mustered out." 

We're modest — that's us — we don't like to brag 
Of what we accomplished or did for the flag. 
We were just one squad of a million or more. 
Who crossed the big ocean to settle a score. 



-Corporal L. E. Crane. 



Sixty-three 



SQUAD NO. 2. 




Porter Miles kies ll'isiiiuin 1 aylor 

K. A. Smith Pollard PL A. Smith Eoff Couse 

There's a man in our squad by the name of Miles, 

When he saw the mail man he was all smiles, 

For he looked for a letter from his queen in Laval. 

Don't know^ what her name w^as — "Mary" or "Sail," 

But no matter! whatever be her name. 

He w^as a lucky fellow just the same. 

Next a young fellow, Carl Westman by name; 
Don't know w^here he comes from — Sw^eden or Spain. 
But he had a longing to be once again 
Back in that state known as Michigan. 

Now there was Taylor, a clever young lad. 
But certain motions nearly drove him mad. 
When he reaches home, all safe from harm, 
Tis sure he will stay with his pa on the farm, 

To look at Porter you'd know^ him a real gent. 
Every pay-day left him without a cent. 
For he had beaucoup fun with every pay. 
Don't suppose he'll ever think of a rainy day. 



Sixty-four 



Can't miss Pollard, who is six feet four; 
He's obliged to stoop when he enters a door. 
Once "Stretch" was an M. P. somewhere in France. 
'Tis well known this old boy never took a chance. 

Then there was EofF, another big guy, 

A right good fellow with a twinkle in his eye. 

Now Eoff in French might be easy to beat. 

But better watch this boy, for he doesn't need to use his feet. 

And "Windy" Smith, who hails from Syracuse, 
You all know him, so what's the use 
Of my wasting the moments trying to rhyme; 
He will be mayor, just give him time. 

"Dolly Dimples " Kies is a Springville youth. 
Never known to even drink vermouth. 
He always wished to be an artist swell. 
But if he can draw his breath 
He's doing darn well. 

Couse, Adelbert H., wrote this dope; 
Should you or shouldn't you, give up hope? 
"Doc" is old with young ideas. 
You couldn't bank much on his French speals. 
Widows beware, and young girls, too. 
Should this super-man go gunning for you. 

Last and also least comes our Corporal — the knave; 

About a French maiden he surely did rave. 

He often spoke of Jane with beauty so rare, 

As she promenaded by his side with her head in the air: 

While little Dicky with his curly mustache, 

Led Bobette, her dog, with a little lash. 

— Wagoner A. H. Couse. 



Sixty-five 



SQUAD NO. 3. 




J. J. Clark Spring Bennett 

Hogg G. Hoffman Dodson 



B. Hollenheck Schmitt 
Dale 



Knowing ourselves for what we really are, admitting that all the praise 
w^e have received is true, casting aside the jealous flings at our immaculate 
character and strictly adhering to the policy of not bragging of our record, 
"it needs no such support,** w^e modestly introduce ourselves as the men who 
were instrumental in assisting Kaiser Bill down from his lofty perch. While 
we do not w^ish to claim the entire credit for bringing this terrible conflict of 
monkey meat, gold fish, corned willie, mud, pup tents and cooties to such 
a pleasant and successful termination, nevertheless w^e consider that our 
claims should be recognized before those of the Q. M., M. P.*s, or Y. M. C. A. 
While none of our members have been decorated w^ith the D. S. C. (Distin- 
guished Service Cross), neither do we float the much dodged D. D. S. (Deep 
Dugout Service). The mere mention of the members of our heroic little 
band will make the average American sit up and take notice. 

To begin with, we have "Sw^amp Angel*' Hoffman, our dashing corporal, 
w^ho delivered a speech from the tail end of the mess line to the mess hounds 
at the head of that line — a stirring message v^hich shall be studied by school 
children for years to come. George declared that some fiend of a Hun in- 
duced the top sergeant to send him (our corporal) to a motor school. Then, 
when our brilliant leader w^as off the field of battle, "Jerry * slipped over an 
armistice. Corporal Hoffman claimed that this never would have happened 
had he been on hand to offer his suggestion for ending the w^ar. He also 
stated that it completely ruined a perfectly good w^ar. 

Next in command came "Blondy" Spring, our Sanitary Lance Corporal, 
aspirant to Corporal Hoffman's crown. "J. G." is of a very quiet and retiring 
nature. He never told anyone above a Colonel where he fitted. Johnnies 



Sixty-six 



great delight was making the rest of the squad uncomfortable by sweeping 
out the billet. He still maintains that "French itch" and not cooties is the 
cause of a man constantly imitating a dog in distress. 

Of course, everyone is acquainted with "Rambling" John Dodson, the 
man who made the town of Orleans appreciate the Texas style of celebrating 
a holiday. The "Rambler" says there are many advantages of fighting a war 
in a wet county. (No, not the weather). His greatest regret is that his 
native state has gone dry. Old Dod also remarked that it was a queer thing 
how many drinks a fellow could have offered to him while on M. P. duty. 
He said that it took all of his superhuman will to refuse many of them and 
he sure pitied the man with no will power in a case like that. 

"Dimples " Schmitt is the Beau Brummel of our squad. He upholds our 
honor in the field of love. Many are the hearts of the petite mademoiselles 
that he holds to his credit. He left a trail of broken hearts strewn from Brest 
to the front. Another good quality of Frank's is that he is a great believer 
in George Washington's idea of soldiering. He never tells a lie. No matter 
where a man may be during a formation if "Cupid " reports the squad he 
gives a detailed account of said man's absence. 

The Atlas of our squad is "Dynamite" Hollenbeck. Bert is our strong 
arm man. Any time there was any real work to be done we sent forth our 
Cortland giant and he usually brought home the bacon. "Dynamite's" great 
weakness is picking straw hats on all details. However, we will pit him 
against any man in the A. E. F. on fatigue work. 

It now becomes our painful duty to acknolwedge a weaking among us. 
As much as we hate to do so, we feel it our duty to admit we possess a man 
who prides himself on never missing a sick call. We therefore humbly beg 
to introduce "O. D." Dale. The man whose name has appeared more times 
on sick report than the Kaiser has been connected with profanity. 

"Mellen Food" Jesse Hogg is the pet of our squad. Although he comes 
from the wild and woolly state of Oklahoma he is a very lovable creature. 
Everyone -who comes in contact w^ith him immediately falls for his quaint 
charms. His wonderful disposition and winning ways have carried him 
through this brutal war unscathed and still innocent in the ways of this 
wicked w^orld. 

"Regular " Bennett is our w^eather beaten veteran, having served a hitch 
with the regular army. The w^orst fault we know of him is that he was once 
an M. P. We shall not hold this against him, however, for it was not of his 
own choosing. Dame Fortune merely played a shabby trick on him. 

"Flowery " John Clark, of Jersey fame, who claims to have trained for this 
war by putting himself on a diet of rose thorns and orchid blooms, thus 
making himself bomb proof, puts the finishing touches on the squad. He 
acts as squad interpreter and finds that the French people can't "compree" 
his Parisian French which he speaks foolishly. 



Sitxy-seven 



SQUAD NO. 4. 




Al orris Barry 

KcUcy 



Glass 



Barnard 



Erzvay 



Lozce 
Holm 



The "Fighting Fourth" never deserved the name. We were always 
the most peaceful squad in the company, especially when we should be at 
reveille. We were long under the leadership of our Corporal, Fred M. 
Barnard (the second from the left on the bench). We all liked the corporal, 
that is, after he sent his mandolin home and sang only once in a while. We 
appreciated him even more w^hen w^e used to catch him over the pancake 
griddle early in the morning. Some girl — oh, well, why send all the Syracuse 
girls his way? 

On the Corporal's right is our "Deacon" Erway. "Deacon" was a 
wagoner. Like several others in the company, he drove a quad truck, for 
at one time in Camp de Souge we had as many as ten trucks. These were 
delivered to us lacking in equipment, but with various attachments for hold- 
ing the same. All at once the mechanics missed some tools, the cooks an 
axe, the engineers some shovels and a French railway lost ropes, chains and 
four-by-fours; and the "Deacon's" truck began to take on the appearance 
of a rummage sale. We are glad for France that "Deacon" couldn't drive 
that truck home to "Hector. " 

Next to the "Deacon" is Holm. Who will forget Axel, the photographer 
from Te^as? Who will forget those stories of bull-fights, Mexican rebellion 
and other horrors "down by the Rio Grande"? We have Axel to thank for 
the excellence of these squad pictures. 

"Texas," the Camp Stuart song-leader, is accused of sending the squad 
bag to his home in Granbury, instead of to our next stop in France. We can 
imagine the whole Morris family attired in "O. D." "Jake" is in the back 
row on the left. 



Sixty-eight 



On his right are Barry and Glass, the "cognac twins." Even the names 
suggest a drink. 

On the end is Lowe. "Springville" Lowe, the ex-basketball player. 
Nothing very notable about Lowe either. He is a pretty smooth chap. 

Last, but not least, is "Prohibition" Kelley. He can give an argument 
on liquor or can start off on a long ramble about canoes without any effort 
whatever. "From cook to sentry" Kelley is the first man on the left. 

The squad comment would not be complete without mention of Earl 
Leaky, who transferred to Battery "B," 106th F. A., while at Camp de Souge. 
We regret also that W. G. Grimes, the auto salesman of Detroit, Michigan, 
and Milford, Texas, had to leave us at Baleycourt on account of sickness. 

Wagoner G. E. Kelley. 



Sixty-nine 



SQUAD NO. 5. 




Collins Kadinski Michels E. E. Smith A. Hollenbeck 

Wilson Hixson G. Doyle Scott Meyers 

Behold, the "Razzing Fifth" of bygone fame, 
At the Newport siege we w^on that name. 

"Bedsore" Wilson and his bunk are pals. 
"I'd rather do this than w^restle the shells." 

Gosh, "Heifer" Hixson, the corporal, is witty; 
Hails from Eastwood, right near the city. 

"Jerry" Doyle, the Yonkers lad. 

Went after shoes — now^ Shafer's mad. 

"Sweetie" Scott w^eeping, w^hat a pitiful sight; 
"Oh where is my girlie this beautiful night?" 

In search of adventure w^ent Mickey Meyers; 
At Bordeaux we found him — behind the wires. 

"Cabbage" Collins, the moon-faced blonde, 
Was chief inspector at Orleans. 

"Taps" blew one night in Yiddish. It said: 
"Mail, Radinski! Get out of bed!" 

"Galopping One-Eye" Michels for short — 
Is the temperance leader of a cognac resort. 



Seventy 



E,. E. Smith sallied forth to see Bard; 

He returned with an eye-dropper and one pound of lard. 

"Cut out that groaning, Pool, or I'll break your neck!" 
Was an every night speech for "Suds" Hollenbeck. 



MEMORIES 

How dear are the memories of camp life at Bordeaux: 
The army of flies; the sand to our knees; 
The drills in the desert; the gas mask instruction. 
And nightly the combat against fire-swept trees. 

How well we recall that dark, rainy morning, 
When at five, through the mist, we heard reveille blow. 
Too late in the warm, cozy feathers we lingered. 
Hence one squad w^as missing in line at the show^. 

The following days w^ere to us very pleasant; 
Scrubbing the barracks — policing the grounds. 
"Cabbage" and "Mickey" w^ere kitchen mechanics. 
While "Jerry" and "Mike" with a rake made the rounds. 

No more do we slumber when "first call" is blow^ing. 
Our motto: "The early bird catches the w^orm" ; 
We're right on the spot when there's anything doing, 
Especially with hobnails and army Bull Durham. 

^Corporal H. C. Hixson. 



Seventv-one 









SQUAD NO. 6. 









^'^'^:..--^;^^i^. 



.:• \*^ 






m '^ J»>- 



,#• ^ 



Slack Plant Bocttcher Bunce Irons 

Carey H. Hadlcy Grobsmith Conzvay Kihnartin 



Caccnski 



Now, that the time is coming when w^e all must separate, w^e look back 
over the days gone by, w^ondering if the days that are to come w^ill be as 
happy as those spent with our "Buddies" in this glorious army of the U. S. A. 
Many have been our trials and misfortunes since entering the Army, but at 
all times when a comrade was a bit disheartened some one of his squadmates 
was on hand to cheer him up. The parting is going to be hard for most of 
us, as we have all learned to know each other better than a father knows 
his son. When the time arrives and we all don our packs, turning our faces 
homeward, many will be the hours spent thinking of our experiences in our 
good old sixth squad. 

Here we have "Hungry" Carey, he of the mess kit bold. Bugle calls 
he never hears, but at soup call he hollers, "Yo!" In the days of peace he 
used to "rack them up," but now^ things have changed — all depends on his 
pluck. 

Then comes "Paddy" Conway, he of the youthful face. At times he 
thinks he is in mamma's arms, but trumpet call makes him aw^ake. He often 
dreams of his schools days of late. And when the call came for chauffeurs 
he turned out great. 

Oh, no. Don't forget "Red" Kilmartin, he of Harlem's confines. He 
oftentimes yearns for his comrades of old, but the "Apple Knockers" sure 
treat him fine. When a baseball's around he sure is no slouch, but "Sergeant 
the Shafe " always gives him a grouch. 

Sure here is "Chief" Hadley, the noble "Conducteur Automobile." He 
dragged in the coal and wood w^ith never a bit of a squeal. When the boys 
all feel blue and think all day long, everyone hollers for Hadley to come 
through with a song. 

Seventy-lwo 



Oh look! Here is "Captain" Slack, also a chauffeur of fame. There 
isn't much he doesnt know and his knowledge gained him fame. At night 
when the boys all sit round the fire, in wanders said "Captain" with some- 
thing for hire. 

And then there's "Hardtack" Boettcher, a roamer so he claims. He's 
wandered here and over there but this army isn't the same. His ancient 
line makes the boys feel sad till a voice from the corner yells, "Give him the 
razz." 

We also have "Wamba, the Jester," Gus Bunce he is called. His ready 
wit and funny jokes sometimes get him mauled. When details are formed 
he's never on time, but when passes are due, j^ou should see that boy shine. 

Here enters "Mabel." Her name I think is Plant. He roamed all over 
France trying to enter our rank. He used to live in the Auto State, Michi- 
gan by name. The days of wonder won't cease for him till he's back home 
with mamma again. 

Now, there is "Paducah" Irons, the boy from the Texas grange. No 
matter where we chance to be he always hugs the range. His greatest ambi- 
tion in this life now seems to get back "right quick" where the grass grows 
green. 

Then there is Cacenski, we call him "Pinochle" for short. He has our 
goat we must admit, but you should hear him snort. He roams about most 
all the night everlastingly annoying the squad. And at one or two or three 
o'clock he imitates a "wop" with a hod. Whenever he hollers, "Let's play 
a hand," all answer in chorus, "Will you please close that clam?" 

Last, but not least, comes our Corporal, "Phosgene" is his name. In 
Camp de Souge he taught us to out-wit "Jerry's" game. Many are the times 
we used to grab his goat, but not very long after he was just as smooth as 
soap. His dear line of salve had the boys fooled, but they were afterwards 
glad they had been thoroughly schooled. 

Now, in conclusion, we'd all like to say, we'll all watch and wait for that 
happy day when we all reunite with a great feast of joy and chat over the 
days spent at old Consenvoye. 

Corporal Adrian J. Grobsmith. 



Seventy-three 



SQUAD NO. 7. 




Fox 
McGarry 



Gaddis 
Reynolds 



Shero 
O'Day 



Burke 
Peters 



Gnsfke 



Bard 



The aggregation comprising the seventh squad as it went throught the 
campaign, was formed at Camp Stuart. Aside from two members. Wagoner 
Richard Mahaney, "The Irish Prince," and Private Loran ( "Vin Blanc") 
Johnson, who volunteered for the Army of Occupation, the squad remains 
intact. 

Under the leadership of Corporal James P. O'Day an odd collection 
of individuals was placed. There is Wagoner Joseph McGarry, sometimes 
called "The Black Sheep," owing to the jet black locks that crown his noble 
brow. He was naturally hot-headed, but quick to forget his grievances. 
Ambition is his middle name. 

His exact opposite may be found in Private Raymond Gaddis, who 
liked to boast that he did less work than any other man in the company. 
His favorite hobby was collecting dope and rumors for the edification of the 
squad. The army clothing misfits never troubled him, but they were a great 
worry to Wagoner Henry Gustke, who took especial pride in his personal 
appearance. Owing to the fact that he never had cigarettes of his own he 
earned the name of "No Tobacco." 

Each squad is bound to have it messhound and the seventh is no excep- 
tion, for the favorite pastime of Wagoner Michael J. Fox was sprinting for 
the mess line. However, if he needed anything, he always desired someone 
else to do the sprinting. The other extreme may be found in Private Fred 
Shero, who would often miss a meal to finish some interesting story. 

Now we come to the squad dictionary. Wagoner Benjamin Reynolds, 
pinochle artist and checker fiend. He was always looking for an argument 
and w^as very unwilling to give in if he was w^rong. He earned the name 
of "Red Creek" by boasting of the rural activities of his home town. 



Se''enty-four 



Then there is C. M. Bard, of canteen fame, a man of strange ideas and 
known throughout the company as "Colonel." 

We acquired two new members shortly before leaving France: Fred J. 
Peters, who was always willing and anxious to offer his opinion on any sub- 
ject that might be brought up, and Private Fred J. Burke, who although he 
bears the same name, was of an entirely different nature. He was a very 
quiet and likeable fellow. We found no nicknames suitable for either of them. 

A few words for our athletic Corporal, J. P. (Hank) O'Day, will com- 
plete the sketch of the "Lucky Seventh." He was rather difficult to please 
and always insisted that his orders be obeyed. His favorite amusement was 
garnering "beaucoup" francs by the "seven come eleven" method. Under 
his leadership the Seventh went through the campaign without mishap. 

Although the squad abode has been the scene of many a wordy combat, 
it is doubtful if ten men ever lived together in a more brotherly manner. 
Now, that our bit is nearly completed and the squad is soon to be broken up, 
it is with a certain pang of regret that we await the day of our final separation. 
In after years we will look back upon our sojourn in France, both while we 
were in action and after the cessation of hostilities, with a touch of pleasure 
and each of us will always cherish in his heart a warm spot for every member 
of the squad. 

Wagoner Benjamin H. Reynolds. 



The Irish Prince 
Mahaiiey 




Seventy-five 



SQUAD NO. 8. 




Bidinger Simone Tarpcy O'Neill 

Haynes Layton Berghind Harvey 

Our squad was first formed at Camp Stuart, under the leadership of 
Corporal Lynn M. Hakes. Each squad was given a nickname of some sort 
at this time. We were generously dubbed "The Taking Eighth." Perhaps 
we deserved it, for we have been justly accused several times of taking any- 
thing that wasn't nailed down as well as some things that were. After passing 
through the campaign without mishap, our w^orthy Corporal, as well as two 
other members of the squad. Wagoner William M. Munro and Wagoner Elmer 
G. Edwards, volunteered for the Army of Occupation, while we were located 
at Verdun. 

Our new Corporal, Charles E. Layton, better known as "Pop" — a vet- 
eran of many campaigns — through his many experiences has proven of great 
value to the other members of the squad. It certainly required a large amount 
of diplomacy to keep peace in a bunch of men whose dispositions varied so 
widely. 

Among these was our noisy friend. Wagoner Edward E. Haynes, who 
was forever looking for trouble and usually succeeded in finding it. He 
earned the name of "Bananas" early in his army career and this name fol- 
lowed him through the war. 

Private John A. Simone, the boy-soldier, since he w^as unable to run 
this army to suit his taste, always wished for an army of his own. Although 
the youngest member of the squad he insisted on having his own way. 

His exact opposite could be found in Private Wilfred J. O'Neill, a sweet 
tempered boy, whose principle worry was that he might be beaten out of his 
afternoon nap. He was one of the company's experts on ducking details. 

Another bird of the same feather was Private Robert M. Bidinger, some- 
times known as "Chubby. " He often complained of the army rations, but 



Sezenty-six 



seemed to gain substantially in weight — so much so that it handicapped him. 
A lady killer by fancy, but a fat man by nature. 

Another worthy brother is Private Ernest R. Berglund, whose blusterous 
nature was wont to crop out at any moment. Nevertheless he was a free- 
hearted fellow and a good friend. 

f^is principle opponent was Wagoner Howard S. Harvey. They argued 
long and faithfully on subjects unknown to either, until one was obliged to 
admit defeat. 

Unassuming Private William Tarpey, the champion messhound of the 
squad, often disturbed our peace and quiet by snatching his precious mess 
kit from its secret hiding place and dashing madly for the mess line. His 
only prayer was that Uncle Sam would allow him to keep his trusty mess 
kit as a souvenir of his campaign in France. 

JVagoncr Howard S. Harvey. 



Seventy-seven 



SQUAD NO. 9. 




Slopey Buxton O. T. Hadley E. Doyle Page 

Neel Malonc Langc L. Britt Byrne 

Introducing to you the ninth squad, better known as the "Fighting 
Ninth." It began its famous career at Newport News, Va., just prior to sail- 
ing for France. We can still boast of having the original squad, no members 
having gone w^est or A. W. O. L. We also take pride in having the only 
two buglers in the company. The habit of acquiring things to make the 
squad comfortable and keep them in style has long been one of our virtuous 
qualities. 

As long as we live w^e can only hold the fondest recollections of our 
Corporal — Edw^ard J. Doyle. He was never known to utter a cross word to 
any of us and he w^as aWays ready and willing to help us in any difficulty. 
He w^as always on the job — always giving good advice and was the direct 
means of making good soldiers out of all of us. Our love and respect for 
him knows no bounds. He w^as never officious but was always quiet and 
gentle in everything he said and did. We have never show^n our apprecia- 
tion which his merits deserved but we now^ take this opportunity to extend to 
him our sincerest thanks for all that he has done for us. 

Our first character is Bugler Charles C. Buxton, "Mexican War Veteran," 
lovingly known to the squad as "Wampus, the Warsaw Terror," but better 
known to the boys in the company as "Buck." His inexhaustible stock of 
original witticisms and humor has always afforded the boys much amusement. 
In the fine arts of bugling and wrestling our boy "Wampus" has no peer. 

The next sketch is our noble bugler born of fighting blood w^hose nom 
de plume is Edward S. Lange, better known as "Sam." For advice and to 
settle disputes we all go to Sam. He can sure give advice and settle all ques- 
tions to the satisfaction of those concerned. Besides being a bugler and 
father of pur squad he is a great experimenter w^ith cartouches, powder fuses, 

Seventy-eiglit 



primers and machine guns. Although the smaller of the two buglers, Sam 
can certainly hold his own with ease. Favorite expression, "Evidently." 

The soldier's tw^entieth century style of going to bed to keep warm and 
be comfortable was invented by Wagoner Orrin T. Hadley ( "O. T. "). The 
process consists of donning the overcoat, raincoat, jerkin, mackinaw^ and 
coal-man's hat, pulled down over the ears, sitting upright on the bed, placing 
the blankets over the feet in three counts and on the fourth count grabbing 
the blankets w^ith the right hand, lying down and covering the head on the 
fifth count. Great care should be taken that no part of the uniform becomes 
disarranged during the operation. Spirals must be worn. 

Many of us thought him to be too high and mighty to associate w^ith on 
account of his dad being a Brigadier General. But it didn't take us long to 
find out that he was a regular guy and one of the boys in every w^ay. We 
refer to good old Harold — Wagoner H. M. Page — know^n to all as "H. M., " 
the best maker of chocolate fudge in the Train. As a cartouche expert 
H. M. could not be beat — not even by Sam Lange, and that's saying some- 
thing. His abilities as a driver need no support. 

We now have an ex-Pioneer Infantryman, Private Wm. E. Malone, and 
w^e think there is no better soldier in the whole company. "Mac" is a slum- 
berer of the Rip Van Winkle type and we believe that he will be a great help 
to his mother for w^hen it comes to sawing w^ood w^e never saw "Mac's" 
equal. 

The "little ole boy " from Oklahoma, Private Henry Elvin Neel, is known 
to all far and near as "Okla." His coon songs sung in his silvery tenor voice 
bring back memories of Wadsworth days and have been the means of driving 
away many cases of homesickness. In his capacity of a past member of the 
Knights of the Road, "Okla's" stories of adventure have afforded us many 
hours of pleasure around our "HI' ole squad stove. " 

The "tailor's delight" now^ makes his appearance in the shape of Private 
William J. Byrnes. He stands four feet high in his hobnail "dogs" and bears 
the name of "Shorty." As a good little soldier he ranks high in the esteem 
of all and when it comes to work we have yet to see the man who can wrestle 
a "Dixie" or a greasy pot with more willingness and energy than our little 
"Shorty." 

Next comes the "Spring ville Warbler, " Private Donald Slopey, better 
known as "Don," and acknowledged by all to be the star singer of the squad. 
After witnessing his exhibition of "Hootchie Kootchie" dancing it behooves 
us to state that he is in a class by himself. He will always be remembered by 
the boys not only as a rabid baseball enthusiast but also as our best man on 
the initial sack. 

Last but not least we have Private Leo A. Britt, known to intimate 
friends as "Oleo," but to the boys in the company as "Dog Robber" because 
he is a member of the "Royal Order of First Aid to Officers." As an original 
rumor hound "Oleo" makes a Colonel's orderly turn green with envy. We 
expect to see "Oleo " as head of an intelligence bureau. 

FINALE. 

At last we enter upon the final lap of our journey. Our work is com- 
pleted. Soon the boys will be mustered out, each one departing for his home. 
With this thought in mind, and it grieves me to recall it, my desires prompt 
me to express the utmost gratitude and admiration for the members of my 
squad. No matter whether at work or on the drill field it was their idea 
of faithfulness and pride in the "Ninth" that ever kept them from doing 
naught but their best. 

Corporal Edward J. Doyle 

Seventy-nine 



SOUAD NO. 10. 




Stott St. Pierre Caup Balisccwski L. J. Clark 

Patchki Christian Wcrninth Frcas 



The tenth squad ■was organized preparatory for overseas service at Camp 
Stuart, Newport News, Va., w^here several new^ men w^ere added to the old 
squad. With this final reorganization the squad went overseas, did its work 
and, with the exception of one man who left us at Verdun, returned intact. 

Corporal Howard Christian, called "Christy," takes pride in the fact 
that there are at least five nations represented in his squad — "The Foreign 
Legion." 

Wagoner Walter Wermuth, sometimes known as "Judge," was one of 
the main supports of the squad. Every evening the boys of the squad w^ere 
after him for stories and he sure could tell them. 

Clarence Stott, otherwise known as "O. D.," had the distinction of 
being the shortest man in the company. He was also some song bird and as 
a yodeler was unequalled. 

Felix Patelski, "Pat" for short, comes from Michigan where he left a 
threshing machine of which he thought as much of as we did of the girls we 
left behind us. 

LeRoy Clark hails from the shores of Lake Huron. Roy has taught us 
all how to catch fish, for he surely is an artist in those lines. 

Frank St. Pierre, better known as "Saint," is the oldest man in the squad 
but was w^ith the rest of the boys in work or fun. Speaking of close shaves, 
Frank can give any man a closer shave than a Boche "ash can." 

Michel Caup, called "Frenchy," proved the w^orth of a Frenchman in 
the squad. He acted as our interpreter and when it came to getting things 
"Mike" brought home the bacon. 

Eighty 



Nicholas Freas never answered to anything but "Nic." He was the 
one noted for his enterprising ways of stirring up fun in the squad. 

Stanley Balizewiski, known as "Bally," was a seafaring man. "Bally" 
loved to spin yarns about his career on the briny and it was much fun for us 
to hear them. 

William McKnight, "Mac" for short, was a good scout sure enough. He 
left the company at Verdun when he volunteered his services for the Army 
of Occupation and left for somewhere in Germany. 

So the tenth squad comes through the campaign and is always ready for 
whatever may come — the spirit of "A" Company. 

Corporal Hozvard R. Christian. 



Eighty-one 



SQUAD NO. 11. 










luird Newman Sicbcrt Fitzsimvwui, 

Hanna Rauscli Sherman Corbett 



McLrystlc 



Corporal John F. Rausch: Johnny has become a great Prohibitionist. 
He tried to make France dry by consuming the available supply of Vin Blanc. 
As an after dinner speaker he made quite a success at the Christmas banquet 
in Laval describing his furlough at Aix le Bains. No one ever discovered how 
he acquired so many souvenirs but we'll bet he parted with many francs for 
those large German boots. 

Wagoner Paul M. Corbett: Old P. M. was so initialed by his parents, 
we imagine, because he liked to lay in bed until about that time. Outside of 
being the most indisposed man in the squad he was very industrious. How- 
ever, in the confines of Syracuse he is very famous as one who trips the light 
fantastic, plays football and is in general a regular devil. 

Albert T. Siebert: Here is the luckiest man in the squad, but he never 
realized it. Preferring to juggle letters instead of shells we found him one 
day with the title of Assistant to the Assistant Company Clerk. 

Delmar Hanna: Well known throughout the squad as the Manhattan 
Banker, also hailing from Canada and California. "Where land and water 
meet" is his slogan and some day we suppose he will own a bank in Oakland. 
While sojourning in France he wasted his time running the Tow^n Mayor's 
office in Montsurs. He is the only casualty of which the squad can boast 
since he was hurt in a truck accident at the front. 

Sammy Newman: Palmyra's representative in Company. We be- 
lieve he must have signed a contract to furnish the populace of his town with 
letters from the front, for he sent and received more mail than anyone we 
know. Maybe he answered a matrimonial advertisement. 

Adelbert Ford: "Lizzie" w^as the greatest boom to our canteen. Every 
month his entire pay was mortgaged to that establishment. Ford utilized 



Eigltty-two 



everybody else's articles thereby keeping his own clean for inspection. His 
big faux pas was entering the Kitchen as Student Cook. His careful rationing 
of the beans got on the squads" nerves so they insisted he return to the ranks. 
Harry Fitzsimmons: We never knew^ much about him as he spent most 
of his time with "E" Company manicuring mules. He is a regular New 
Yorker, however, and a good fellow and could tell some interesting stories 
about Percy Nagle and Bar-le-Duc. 

Richards McCrystle: The much heralded "Automobile School Grad." 
(Why a buck private? ) Fat was rather a lot of trouble to the sergeants. For 
instance the supply sergeant couldn't get clothes large enough for him. 
"Hoover, King of the Mess," had to draw extra rations for our child and 
the "Top Kick" was never without a kind word for Mac when dressing up 
the line, such as, "Pull in that head! You're not reviewing the company. " 

Harold Sherman: "Pete" is the handicap this private was burdened 
with while in this company. He is a very reticent chap, except on special 
occasions, when he has been known to rise to great heights of oratory, recit- 
ing "Our Nell" and others. Pete says that the energy he expended towards 
winning this war was as nothing to the trouble he had winding his new 
spirals. 

Howard Hughes: "Sleepy" was the eleventh squad's contribution to the 
Army of Occupation. He was one of the eight volunteers who left us at 
Verdun, to see Germany via the A. E. F. route. Hughes was a great sleeper. 
Regardless of location he would fall asleep w^henever the opportunity per- 
mitted. One time he went to sleep behind a hedge while on detail fighting a 
large forest fire near Bordeaux. When "Sleepy" awoke the fire had been 
extinguished and the detail had returned to camp, a distance of about nine 
kilometers, on motor trucks. This happened about four o'clock in the morn- 
ing and Howard had to do some tall hiking to arrive in camp before revielle. 



Eighty-three 



SQUAD NO. 12. 









^^'% 



Fehrs 
Bratton 



Heitzman 
Campbell Freesc 



Coughran 
Heffcryian 



Church 



The origin of the twelfth squad dates just prior to our departure from 
Camp Wadsworth. However, it was reorganized at Camp Stuart and re- 
mained in pleasant harmony until our service was completed. The following 
men composed "the tw^elfth: 

Corporal David Campbell: "Bunk" had the time of his army career 
while on M. P. duty in Laval. For some unknown reason "Bunk" had to 
negotiate a high iron fence every night to reach his sleeping apartments. And 
it is said that on one or two occasions these negotiations nearly fell through. 
For some time our Corporal sported a pair of shoes resembling sandals which 
were the envy of the whole company. But cold weather and inspecting 
officers forced him to salvage them. His songs during the long evenings at 
the front and in the billets were the joy of the squad — crude perhaps and 
shakily sung, but a joy nevertheless. 

Private Archer Church: Archer prepared for his army career by taking 
a three months course of instruction under the able supervision of Lieutenant 
"Nifty" McCue in the art of interior guard duty, army slum and detail dodg- 
ing. Much to the squad's regret, however, he failed to take a course of 
instruction on the harmonica. This never bothered "Archie" though. Sing- 
ing was his greatest vice and whether requested or not he was always willing 
to sing "Most Anything." 

Private Carl Fehrs: "Hennie" was once upon a time a member of a 
divisional machine gun unit. This perhaps accounts for his ability to shoot 
well — in fact anything. His future in Wall Street is assured. Any man who 
can dig up francs enough to eat "oofs" a week before pay day is a financier 
of no little ability. 

Private Thomas Bratton: "Tom ' is a husky Hudson lad who dropped 
the pitchfork to shoulder a "155." Somewhere in France, Tom adopted a 

Eighty-four 



violin, but nevertheless was a popular member of the twelfth. He was a 
member of that courageous little band who made the world safe for democ- 
racy at Gercourt. 

Private Ray Heffernan: Though "Bugs" was the youngest member of 
the squad he was the possessor of the greatest amount of active life. He held 
the distinction of being the champion long distance slum swallower of the 
squad. "Bugs" was a firm believer in that "early to bed" business, but ad- 
mits he could never see that "early to rise" stuff. 

Wagoner George P. Heitzman: "Heitz" held the distinction of being 
the only wagoner in the twelfth. Being a firm believer in capital punishment 
George started out to punish the capital product of France while sojourning 
in Orleans. However, Old Man Vin Blanc finally brought George to de-feet. 
"Heitz" doesn't object to nicknames — in fact he never objected to being 
called anything except for reveille. George's French sometimes got him into 
deep places for it was limited to the one word "abri." 

Private R. J. Freese: "Sister" being a full blooded, one hundred per 
cent "Apple Knocker" hailing from Newfield, N. Y., was a decided asset to 
the squad as well as to the company. "Sister's" greatest difficulty throughout 
the terrible war was trying to get away from cigarettes. This problem was 
finally solved one pay day when he breezed down the street pushing an 
eight-inch cigarette holder in front of him. "Sister's" dissipations, especially 
his talcum powder bats, were most artistic. 

Private John Coughran: "The Tailor from Texas" was a mild man- 
nered, nimble fingered lad with the ability to give an issue blouse the appear- 
ance of a perfect fit. John never could see the idea in hiking until it was 
explaned to him that hiking increased the appetite. His greatest ambition in 
the army was to act as permanent right guide on the mess line. 

Corporal David G. Campbell. 



Eighty-five 



SQUAD NO. 13. 




IV. Britt 
Fay 



Jones 
Hynes 



Brecht 
Meigs 



Gluck 
Carroll 



Scaraiigello 



Heads up! Here comes the thirteenth squad and you'll have to step lively 
and dodge for they are still going strong. The "Lucky Thirteenth" originated 
at Camp Stuart, our port of embarkation, and the old numeral superstition 
was given a new lease of life. We prepared to embark on the 1 3th, there 
were I 3 ships in the convoy and it took us 1 3 days to cross the pond. 

Corporal Martin Hynes or "Red," as he is known by his men, rose from 
the ranks and was made corporal over eight men representing the thirteenth 
squad. We all admit it was some job to control such a bunch of home- 
loving men. But old "Huck" was there. 

Upon our arrival in France the thirteenth soon realized that the drink- 
ing water was "pas bon" and with francs in hand we were off to the battle 
of Vin Rouge. The thirteenth's continual tinkle of canteens at Camp de 
Souge was a silent code and is still a mystery to the "topper." 

At Camp de Souge, "Frog" Jones was made a w^agoner and aside 
from his expressionless attitude has been a good bed-mate for our champion 
mess-hound W. E., or "Flooey," Britt. 

Orleans was the first large city in which we stopped on our trip overland 
to the front and while there we almost lost "Our Hero Nell " Fay for the 
campaign was a little too heavy for him. 

It was in our shell riddled room at Verdun that "Alma" Gluck started 
housekeeping by acquiring the bacon in the form of beds, chairs, mirrors, 
tables, etc. Thus we soon had very pleasant quarters to return to after our 
nightly trips with food for Fritzie. 

At this particular point we must mention "Fulton" Carroll who left camp 
with a quad and returned with a magneto. If Maurice can have a good table 
to speak from he sure can recite that poem of his entitled "She Threw Me 
Down and Let Me Lay." 



Eighty-six 



We had many stews "a la Gare" made by our able macaroni twister 
Scarangello who was also the composer of the "Iodine Department." 

Our souvenir hunters, "Alma" and "Flooey," while on one of their 
"Exploits of Eloise" found the "petite garcon" Walter Brecht and escorted 
him to our home. But on cross examination Walter was found to be A. W. 
O. L. from the twelfth squad and was thereby confined to the thirteenth as 
honor guest and subject to all details. 

Being in dire need of an interpreter we were surprised to learn that 
"Ginsberg" Meigs was more than able to parley French and could make him- 
self understood by most anyone in fifteen minutes. Our parties with the 
owners of the billets were few but — oh, how lasting. 

After leaving Verdun we moved to Belleray where the thirteenth was 
billeted directly over the kitchen. Wasn't that convenient? Our next move 
was to Montsurs where we were billeted in a brewery. While there coffee 
and water were simply out of the question. 

Our squad was here, there and everywhere while on M. P. duty in Laval. 
But on our arrival in Bonchamp we were given very comfortable quarters 
and spent many pleasant hours wondering what to do to kill time until we 
received those welcome orders "Homeward Bound." 

Wagoner George A. Fay. 



Eighlvseven 




^^ Capt. CKencg 

No one can think of Company "A" without 
thinking of the Remount, for the latter was its 
mother even as McCue was its father — Lieutenant 
Frank McCue, who gave the Remount its regimen- 
tal motto, "Equal to None," w^ith its sub-inscrip- 
tion, "Last on the Field and First to Leave." But 
the work the boys did in the Remount days and 
the training which they unconsciously absorbed, 
from the gas tanks to the Fair Grounds and back 
again, has always stood them in good stead and 
has helped to make them what 1 would call, did 
not my present sinecure as staff officer forbid, the 
best company in the regiment and the best com- 
pany in the army. Colonel Bell's prophecy, made 
as Captain, that the "Apple Knockers" make the 
best soldiers has been abundantly fulfilled. If the 
Remount was our mother and McCue our father, 
it was certainly Colonel Bell's conception. And, 
w^ithout going too far in medical terms, let us not 
forget that the event could never have taken place without the ever ready 
and active assistance of Mayor Stone, Senator Holden, George Baldwin, 
Proctor Welch and the editors and entire staff of every paper in the city of 
Syracuse. These gentlemen, living and dead, have their monuments in what- 
ever we have done, for without their assistance we could not be. And let 
us not forget the ladies of the city who gave us everything our comfort de- 
manded, and more. 

Old Company "A ' like the rest was an interesting infant, mostly mis- 
placed hands and feet. It was a sweating process to learn that in the Army 
"a thing was either black or white — you did it or you didn't — and excuses 
didn't matter " and rather tough to hear it on cold mornings before break- 
fast and in the evenings when every minute was needed to make the Spartan- 
burg car. But they learned it. 

We lost three boys, one to the double gold stripe of the Navy and the 
other two to the twin silver bars of the Army. But to the credit of the family 
love be it said that they almost had to be kicked into accepting commissions. 
The most salient event in our life was the advent of Captain Olmstead, 
the only officer I've ever known about whom the chapter "The Beloved 
Captain, " could have been written. Then, too, were our Christmas boxes 
from Converse College and from the Auxiliary. Then came Latrina, and 
Grover. 

Grover was the beginning of many things. Things were engendered 
there, the full portent of which was not then realized, and may even yet be 
in the egg. 

Later I lost the company and my laundry. 

Now, I am only what our allies, the British, call a "Brass Hat." 

Captain Roy A. Chewy 



Eighty-eight 



WHAT WE DID 

At first we signed papers till it made us quite sore; 
And oh ! ! those examinations — we had them galore. 
We guarded the railroads for twelve hours straight, 
And had to beg for a pass when we'd fixed up a date. 

They drilled us as "rookies, " it w^as "one, two" and "hep!" 
And the sergeants would holler "Hey you! Get in step!" 
And the Army Regulations — how deep they did sink; 
For you could get six months for just trying to think. 

They gave us a mess kit, a knife, fork and spoon. 
And we had to wash them night, morning and noon. 
We took what they gave us and learned not to kick 
For a cook in the army wields the big stick. 

They stuck a needle in our arms to keep us aWays well ; 
They called it inoculation but we called it H — 1. 
They gave us picks and shovels and took us through the woods; ; 
They said, "We want a road built," and we produced the goods. 

We did "squads left" and "right," and hiked through water and clay. 
We did "column right" and "order arms" and marched day after day. 
Until our feet were blistered and yet we hiked along 
And v\rhen we saw^ the camp again we sang a happy song. 

We hauled ammunition right up to the front. 

We always traveled by night and it surely was some stunt. 

No lights were on the truck, with mud right to the hub. 

For forty-eight hours now and then we had darned little grub. 

We went on these details with never a kick. 
For Company "As" motto is — "To the last do we stick." 
While "Jerry" was shelling the roads we w^ere to pass 
We called him by a pet name and gave her the gas. 

The Hun on his knees, the armistice signed — 

Back to the drills and the same old grind. 

We'd rather do battle with "Jerry" than do "squads left" or "right," 

For our purpose in crossing the ocean was to drive the Boche back out of sight. 

We w^aited and w^aited for orders from French shores to sail away. 

They looked us over for "cooties" — we showed them our clothes every day. 

We had reviews and inspections until we nearly lost our goats. 

At the time when this was written we were waiting to climb aboard the boats. 

^Corporal L. E. Crane, Bonchavip, France. 



Eighty-nine 




Ninety 



£ 



^thlettc 




BASEBALL 



Back in July, 1917, when the call was issued for the men who had 
applied for enlistment in the N. Y. N. G., many of the present members of 
the company packed their cases and bags, never forgetting to stow away in 
the corner of that bag a ball glove. 

Our first camp at Messina Springs, Camp Sumner, afforded the men 
their first opportunity to display their ability on the diamond. Not many 
days had passed before each company had one or more teams organized 
and these teams were soon out for the scalps of other companies. 

According to schedule we received our second inoculation against 
typhoid August 19th, 1917. Although warned continually against any 
activity for twenty-four hours our baseball enthusiasts, considering it neces- 
sary that the> uphold the honor of the company, staged a game with "C" 
Company that afternoon. Although the grounds were not the best, the game 
was hotly contested throughout and the result remained in doubt until the 
last man was thrown out. It was not long after the game that the men began 
to feel the effects in their arms and decided never again to disobey the warn- 
ings of those who knew. 

During our stay at Pelham Bay very few games were staged as most of 
our spare time was divided between the bathing beach and the city. 

Soon after our arrival at Camp Wadsworth a baseball diamond was 
laid out on the drill field just back of the officers' quarters. Here many 
games were staged between the different company teams and enthusiasm was 
soon at a high pitch. 

With the reorganization of the Train on October 1 3th, old companies 
1 and 2, from the start bitter rivals on the diamond, were consolidated form- 
ing the present "A " Company. The reorganization was highly profitable for 
baseball, however, as it brought together such men as: Catchers, "Red " Kil- 
martin, Osca) Manning and "Galloping" Michels; pitchers, "Homely" Al 
Smith, "Eddie" Doyle, "Doc" Couse and "Nell" Fay; infielders, "Hank" 
O'Day, "Scops" Carey, "Oskaloosa" Tennis, "Heinie" Gustke, "Phosgene" 
Grobsmith and Lester Selig; outfielders, "Greaseball" Hoffman, "Pat" Con- 
way, O. T. and H. A. Hadley and "Suds" Hollenbeck. When banded to- 
gether th'.s formed a combination hard to beat. 

Shortly after the reorganization the mettle of the team was shown when 
they defeated the team representing Battery "A." 104th Field Artillery, and 
later took the crack team of "B" Battery, 105th Field Artillery, into camp. 
After a series of games with other teams of the motor battalion we soon had 
the Traill championship under our belt. 

We do not offer any excuses for being on the short end of the score, 
but when the townspeople of Grover, N. C, beat us most of our "stars" 
were either on furlough or paying considerable attention to the young ladies 
in the surrounding towns. 

While at Camp Stuart waiting for orders to embark for "over there" 
Company "B" of the Train had the idea that for money they could take us 
into camp. But after the most bitter struggle of our diamond career we 
romped home with the bacon and the dollars. Gustkes timely hit, the pitch- 
ing of Doyle and the throwing of Kilmartin all through the game and espe- 

Ninety-one 



cially in the ninth inning with two out and their fleet second baseman on first 
and pinch hitter at bat, all contributed to the defeat of "B" Company. 

Immediately after the game the boys w^ho had show^ed their confidence 
in the team by covering all bets offered congregated around the "topper's" 
office as if it were pay day. Of course we don't like to think that our 
esteemed officers would be capable of such a practice as betting on a baseball 
game, but still we noticed that they were on hand with smiling faces when 
the "dough" was being passed out. 

Upon our arrival in France we immediately noticed that the level fields 
which extended for miles around were wonderfully adapted to our great 
American game. However, our Camp de Souge, owing to the deep sand, 
proved quite a disappointment. Nevertheless a diamond was laid out and 
the boys w^ere soon making the best of the conditions. 

Unbeknow^n to us the officers had had many silent battles as to which 
of them was the best twirler. This resulted in a game between two picked 
teams. Captain Olmstead pitching for one and Lieutenant Sweet for the 
other. Owing to the fact that the "razzing" platoon captured O'Day's 
"Angora" causing him to drop two flies in the last of the ninth. Lieutenant 
Sweet nosed out Captain Olmstead by the score of 1 7 to 18. For several 
days after this our officers were busily engaged in rubbing their arms back to 
normal size. 

Soon after this dispute was settled a company league was formed con- 
sisting of four teams known as the "Goldbricks, " "Lizards," "Messhounds" 
and "Cooties. " The schedule started on July 12 th and extended to Septem- 
ber 1st. Three games were staged weekly which were a source of joy and 
merriment to the entire company. The razzing ability of the non-combatants 
usually secured one or two victims in every game. 

Beside the men already mentioned before, there were many others in 
the company who found places on the teams. Foremost among these were 
the officers. Captain Olmstead, Lieutenant Donovan and Lieutenant Sweet, 
who rather dazzled the boys w^ith their activity on the sand lot. 

One of the many incidents which happened in this wierd series of ours 
was the spiking of Captain Olmstead on the head by a pair of army "hobs" 
which were attached to the feet of "Gumshoe " Slack. To see Corporal "Red" 
Hynes galloping around the fields with arms extended praying for the ball to 
be hit in the opposite direction was a sight for sore eyes. The "razzing" 
platoon was always on hand to grab the goats of Doyle, Grobsmith, Michels 
and O'Day and "Homely Al's" balloon ascensions w^ould make an aviator 
blush with envy. 

The wind-up of the league found the "Goldbricks" leading without a 
defeat chalked against them. The "Lizards" rolled in second with the "Mess- 
hounds" close upon their heels. The "Cooties" were so far behind that there 
has been a still hunt for them ever since. 

Before leaving de Souge we were challenged by the 25th Engineers to 
a game to be played on their grounds at St. Sulpice. We tucked another vic- 
tory under our belt, owing to the wonderful pitching of Fay and the good 
all around playing of the whole team. The final score ended 5 to 1 in our 
favor. This concluded our baseball activity in France. 

Written by "Hank," "Nell" and "Phosgene." 



Ninety-two 




FOOTBALL. 

There are few in the company, especially those who have been with it 
since its days of organization, who will forget the army football games. De- 
spite the lack of equipment there were many football enthusiasts in the old 
companies of the Train who formed company teams and sallied forth to do 
each other battle. And many interesting games resulted. 

Probably the most exciting of these encounters was the game which took 
place between old Truck Companies 1 and 2 back in the days at Wadsworth. 
Both companies had men of varied football experience and each looked upon 
the other as an outsider when it came to the inside art of the game. Under 
the leadership of Johnnie Rausch and "Suds'* Hollenbeck a team was formed 
in Company 1 and straightway a challenge was laid before 2 Company. The 
latter had several men w^ith more or less experience and under the direction 
of "Porky" Ryan, "Windy" Smith and "Eddie" Doyle were soon ready to 
carry on the argument with Company 1 . Both sides showed unbounded con- 
fidence in their respective teams and much speculation resulted. The game 
ended with Company 2 on the long end of the score and Company 1 on the 
long end of the casualty list. Fully half of the latter's men had been carried 
from the field at some stage of the encounter. 

Shortly after this game these companies were consolidated to form the 
present Company and as a result no more games were played. Regimental 
football claimed our attention then and of the eleven men who represented 
the Train "A" Company furnished five: Sergeant J. R. Ryan, Corporal D. G. 
Campbell, Corporal E. J. Doyle, Corporal G. E. Hoffman and Wagoner 
K. A. Smith. 

After our arrival in France the question of a football team was again 
taken up and in spite of the poor grounds afforded by the sand in Camp de 
Souge some thirty men responded to the call for candidates. Our early 
order to leave for the front arrived at this time, however, and further plans 
were suspended. 

Corporal F. M. Barnard. 



Ninety-three 




'Louie's" 



Ninety-four 



THE SUPPLY SERGEANT'S SOLACE 

I walk up the street with a frown on my face; 
I've missed reveille and I'm sure out of grace. 
The sergeant who hollers from back in the rear 
Has blown me in. I'm in trouble 1 fear. 
Well, why should 1 worry with Louie's so near? 

I work on the slips — hear each man's hard luck tale; 
There are many come in with a sigh and a wail. 
I near lose my temper and just then 1 think, 
I'll go over to Louie's and take on a drink. 

The inspection is near; everything's upside-down; 
For mess kits and rifles I've searched the whole town. 
What the captain will say — why the thought makes me shrink. 
I'll go over to Louie's and get me a drink. 

The inspection is over; we passed it O. K. 
Now I've not much to do for the rest of our stay. 
They tell us we sail soon — we're right on the brink; 
It might be a rumor, I'll go get a drink. 

Well, we have hit the old states — what a terrible sight! 
All the cafes and gin mills are sure nailed up tight. 
I have bought me a ticket — it took half my chink. 
But I'm on my way back to Louie's to get me a drink. 

— Supply Srrgcaiit Carl A. Shafcr. Bouchaiiip, France. 



Ninety-five 



THE CANTINE 

No history of Company "A" would be complete without a mention of 
our cantine and the splendid work done by Bard in handling it. Started at 
de Souge the latter part of August, merely as a convenience in the matter 
of cigarettes and tobacco, it rapidly grew into a life-sized store. In addition 
to a full stock of everything available in both the Sales Commissary and 
Y. M. C. A. warehouses, the stocks of the Bordeaux, Paris, London and Bar- 
le-Duc merchants w^ere tapped for such luxuries as the season provided. At 
one time our stock boasted of one hundred and thirty-one different articles 
and in all three hundred and eight kinds of w^ares have been handled regularly 
at one time or another. And the gross business ran almost seventy thousand 
francs. 

On the trip across country w^e took the cantine along and the men were 
in this w^ay furnished many little luxuries w^hich added much to the meager 
travel ration. At each new^ camp the cantine w^as promptly opened up and 
the country scoured clean of smokes and delicacies as far as a truck could 
travel. And Bard, sitting in the rain, on top of a truck load of eats became 
a common sight. When there w^as no truck available he often walked many 
miles so that we might have the things to w^hich w^e had become accustomed. 

A liberal credit system tided over the long, lean weeks between pay 
days and any man w^ho w^ent w^ithout smokes and eats did it from choice. 
He could, at almost any time, buy anything from butter to a Croix de Guerre. 

Now that it is all over and w^e look back at things from a different view- 
point we realize that, in comparison to other outfits, we had it pretty soft and 
that it wasn't such a bad war after all. And the cantine had a very large 
part in making life more bearable. 

Bard didn't get the D. S. C. for his work, most of which was done in 
the face of almost insurmountable obstacles and heart-breaking disappoint- 
ments. But he has w^on the undying gratitude of the one hundred and forty 
men whom he so unselfishly and untiringly served. 

Liculenant A. C. Donovan. 



Ninety-six 



DAWN. 

That "familiarity breeds contempt" is a saying old and true and it may 
be that it is no less true that constant association dulls the perceptions until 
we came to accept with but a passing word, if any word at all, experiences 
that in the old days would probably have made a deep impression upon us. 
In those days it may have been our experience to see the daybreak, but upon 
these, probably rare occasions, our chief thought was to get back home as fast 
as possible and secure some much needed rest. Never did we think that in 
a distant part of the world the stage was being set upon which we were to 
witness many dawns different from any that we had ever thought upon. 
Dawns that would find us so physically weary, after many long hours of am- 
munition hauling, that we were content to resign our safety to the equally 
exhausted driver and, curling up on the floor of a truck or on top of a load 
of shells or powder, drop oflF into a deep sleep that the jolting of the truck 
or the crash of exploding shells near at hand would have in power to disturb. 
Perhaps again, though just as weary, we rode on the seat of the truck 
and from that vantage point viewed the unfolding of the day. The line of 
batteries, each gun under its camouflage, its crew active as it prepared the 
shells for the constant tiring that so often greeted the rising of the sun, the 
battery officers calmly giving their orders and laying their pieces, the row^s 
and piles of shells we had so arduously hauled from far in the rear to their 
places at the side of the guns, the stack of powder boxes sheltered by iron 
roofs to protect them from danger. The winding road skirting the foot of 
the hill which afforded protection to the batteries, a road constantly filled with 
two-way traffic, trucks, teams, motorcycles and men, a stream of motion never 
ceasing except when some vehicle met with a mishap and had to be speedily 
put in action once more, a road deep in mud, slippery and greasy with many 
shell holes, ruts and bad places — a road to walk upon which was equivalent 
to being mud covered from head to toe as the passing trucks splashed along. 
The river, narrow, winding with its spreading, marshy lowland and its 
paralleling canal, once a scene of activity but now with its tow-paths torn 
and broken, a few of its barges tied to the banks and deserted until a fairer 
day should dawn; its rows of trees on each bank, trees that were once tall and 
beautiful, holding their heads well up and forming a border of shade the en- 
tire length of the waterway. Such trees, however, no longer, their foliage 
gone long since, denuded of limbs, their tops splintered and torn by the 
incessant shelling they have undergone, their beauty gone forever, their 
sole use now being as supports for telephone and telegraph w^ires, but w^ith 
their gaunt and stark outlines softened in the gray light of dawn by the rising 
inist from the canal, their broken tops still shrouded from view, their utter 
destruction half veiled in the mj'stical light of the early day, their outlines, 
like a Corot, more to be guessed at than seen. 

The horses and rnules picketed on the flat between the road and the 
canal munch their hay and look anxiously forward to their grain, all except 
a few who seem to be still resting, stretched full length on the ground, head 
thrown back and given wide berth by their neighbors. Mute testimony that 
some of the night's shelling has been productive of more than sleep disturbing 
noises. 

The rolling kitchens, by the side of the road, each sending up its little 
column of smoke, tended by its cook, too busy with the preparation of the 
morning meal even to notice us as we pass by, lend a humanizing touch to 
the morning which is sadly needed after viewing the desolation wrought. The 

Niiicty-sci'cii 



sight of a soldier crawling out of his hole in the hillside above the road, 
stretching arms and body after the cramped slumber of the night, plunging 
his head into a bucket of water to thoroughly awaken himself, the sight of 
pup tents, of dugouts, of elephant iron shelters and of figures wrapped in 
blankets and stretched on the ground, all show the presence of many more 
men than would be at first realized. 

The shadowy form of an M. P. standing at a road junction, with gas 
mask in the alert position and helmet on head shows that even out here the 
traffic regulations are enforced and they are indeed more stringent than back 
behind the line. The opening of a dugout behind him and the torn up condi- 
tion of the cross-roads show that protection against shelling must be ready at 
hand and that shelling is frequent and intense. The faint smell of gas lurking 
in the lower parts of the road makes one reach to see that his gas mask is 
properly adjusted and ready for instant donning and drowsiness is fought off 
so that in the event of running into a concentration of gas the alarm may be 
given instantly to the sleeping men in the truck. 

Beyond the cross-roads and off to the right, well back across the fields 
appears a mass of masonry, indistinct in the early light but which upon closer 
view would prove to be the ruins of a small town. Houses torn apart by 
the shells, roofs in, the cellars filled up level with ground or heaping over 
with debris from the upper story of the house. A bit of camouflage road 
leads towards the town, running across the open fields from the main highway 
but blending so perfectly with the surrounding ground that in the pale light 
it might be well overlooked. 

Past the Red Cross station nestled against the side of the cliff, silent 
but for the cooks moving about their fires, the ambulances drawn up on either 
side of the road, ready for the calls for their services which the coming day 
will so surely bring. Ambulances of varying sizes but all of them staunch 
and serviceable, capable of holding four stretcher patients and as many 
slightly wounded men as can crawl upon the seat with the driver, on the run- 
ning boards and fenders, ambulances that demand the right of way when 
going to the front and which come back in streams after a big drive loaded 
with their freight of wovmded, pushing steadily towards the dressing stations, 
dodging in and out of traffic, each driver careful of his precious load, avoiding 
shell holes when possible and easing the car into them when impossible to 
avoid. 

Down past former battery positions once occupied by the French but 
now deserted by the guns which are well forward of that point, the battery 
dugouts vacant or tenanted by some of those French troops who seem to 
be spread out all over the countryside, apparently working independently but 
nevertheless part of the big scheme of things. The rise of the road brings 
us to the top of a long and steep descent, the road built on the shoulder of 
the hill, exposed to the shelling of the enemy and camouflaged its entire length 
from the top of the hill to the bottom, the surface dug and scarred here and 
there but kept in repair by the engineers constantly at work. From the 
bottom of the hill runs, at a sharp angle, another road straight through a 
valley leading up towards the lines of the enemy, the high hills affording pro- 
tection from one direction but none from another and as we watch through 
the camouflage on our hill we can see the puff of smoke rising and then the 
explosion as high explosives break on the crest of the hill opposite us, throw- 
ing up masses of earth and stone but ever striking short of their mark, the 
cross-roads. The small but constantly enlarging cemetery alongside the road 
as we near the foot of the hill, its plain wooden crosses and tin wreaths at 
the head of the graves of the French and the crosses and no wreaths on the 
American graves, keeps ever in our minds the stern duty upon which we are 
engaged and as we near that point of the trip beyond which the shelling 

Ninety-eight 



seldom concentrates, we breathe a sigh of thankfulness that once more we 
have come through unscathed another night of danger. 

Familiarity does breed contempt and constant association does dull the 
perceptions, but deep in our subconsciousness we store up memories of scenes 
such as these, perhaps unknowingly adding to them front day to day and night 
to night, surprising ourselves in later days, when at some chance word, we 
produce recollections of events that at the time of experiencing we accepted 
as plain ordinary happenings. 

Captain H. N. Olmstcad. 



THE LOST TRAIN 

I stood on the bridge at midnight — 
Twas the bridge o'er Forges Creek; 
And I cursed my luck, for my truck was stuck 
Where it couldn't get out for a week. 

I sighed for that dear old Paris, 

New York and Chicago as well ; 

And I cursed the Hun who fired that gun 

And the fate that had guided that shell. 

For two hours I tried to move it. 

Then found that it couldn't be done; 

Though we sw^eated and toiled, the transmission was spoilf^d, 

And the motor refused to run. 

With five hundred boxes of gas shells, 

I had bravely set forth that night; 

For the order I read, as I climbed out of bed. 

Said "gas" by my pale candle light. 

Of the twenty I had when I started, 

This truck was my one last chance; 

For the rest had died, by the rough road side. 

Died gloriously for France! 

By moonlight 1 tramped to Headquarters, 

And told what had just come to pass; 

Then they sure got my goat, v/hen they showed me this note: 

"Send H. E. instead of the gas"! 

— Licittciunit A. C. Dotiovi 



Nincty-niiw 



A LETTER FROM COMPANY A MEN IN THE 
ARMY OF OCCUPATION. 

Co. D, 308th Ammunition Train, Bordeaux, France, March 15, 1919. 
Capt. H. N. Olmstead, 569 Madison St., Brooklyn, N. Y„ 

Dear Captain: Sergeant J. H. Ryan, in a letter recently requested me 
to trace the activities of the eight ex-Company "A" men, who left the 102nd 
Ammunition Train at Verdun, from the time they were separated from 
the organization until the present date. He also asked that I forward my 
answer to you. Although I have never claimed the authorship of any gems 
of journalistic endeavor, I will attempt to fulfill his request. 

As you w^ill remember, w^hen volunteers for the Army of Occupation 
w^ere sought, the following eight men responded: Lynn M. Hakes, Richard 
Mahaney, Elmer G. Edwards, William McKnight, Loran Johnson, Frederick 
Conklin, Howard L. Hughes and myself. 

We left Verdun and our parent organization, the 102nd, on the evening 
of November 15th. Traveling via the well-known and justly famous Quads, 
w^e reached the village of Liny, some thirty kilometers north of Verdun, shortly 
before midnight on the 15 th. 

After the usual amount of "army stalling ' and the unraveling of at 
least a mile of red tape, we were assigned to the 308th Ammunition Train, an 
Ohio unit, originally a part of the 83rd Division, but at that time with the 
32nd Division. With the excepton of Mahaney and Johnson, all of the 152nd 
men were assigned to Company "D ' of the 308th. Mahaney and Johnson 
drew Company "C." 

Inasmuch as the 32nd was one of the three divisions chosen to take the 
lead in the march to the Rhine, two days after our assignment to the 308th we 
found ourselves on our way to the land of the Hun and proud that w^e w^ere 
privileged to participate in that history-making march. 

Crossing that part of France where the final battles of the war were 
staged, we passed over the French border into Belgium on the night of 
November 20th. We were billeted that night in Athus, where the Belgians 
tendered us quite a reception, hailing us, the first American troops to enter 
the city, as the "saviours of Belgium." 

Four more days' marching brought us to Eschweiler, Luxembourg, where 
we were given a week's rest. Here Corporal Hakes was taken ill and evacu- 
ated to a base hospital. 

We left Eschw^eiler on December 1 st and that date also marked our so- 
called invasion of the enemy territory. For at 4:30 o'clock on the afternoon 
of that day, we crossed the line into Germany at Echternach, Luxembourg. 

On December 1 0th, we reached Obermendig, Germany, five miles south 
of the Rhine River. Here w^e w^ere billeted for three days. At 1 o'clock on 
the evening of December I 3th, incidentally, a Friday, we were called out 
of bed and ordered on the trucks. 

"Tonight we cross the Rhine," we w^ere told. And we did. At 2 
o'clock on the morning of the 14th, the 308th's convoy of trucks rumbled 
across the Neuw^eiv bridge, constructed by British prison labor over the 
stream w^hose castles have featured so much history and fiction. 

An hour later, we drove into the village of Heimbach, eighteen kilo- 
meters from Coblenz, and were informed that this was to be our "home* 
during our stay in the Army of Occupation. 

One Hundred 



We remained in Heimbach five weeks, engaged principally in hauling 
supplies from Coblenz to the surrounding cities and villages where troops 
were billeted. On January 18th, the glad news that the 107th Ammunition 

Train was to relieve us was announced. The following day we boarded train 

one of the forty-hommes-and-eight-chevaux type — at Sayn and, traveling 
down the valley of the Moselle River and through Alsace into France, we 
arrived here on the 23rd of January. 

Since then we have been engaged in doing two things — hiking and wait- 
ing for orders to embark for the Statute of Liberty. Edwards, McKnight, 
Conklin, Hughes and myself are still with "D" Company and Mahaney and 
Johnson w^ith "C." 

All join me in sending you highest regards. 

Sincerely, 



S::i^aia^, fff '^^^.A^L^^^^ 







r^^^^^^ee-Ti^^ 






/tU^;3^pt- 



/Ce^-('''^-i-'^.<-i^4z r '^cyy^-M'-'^-^^ — 



One Hundred One 



A TRAIN OF THOUGHT 

We run the trucks with all our might 

And haul the ammunish; 
And those who wished to see the fight 

Have surely had their wish. 

We haul by night, w^e haul by day , 
On roads knee deep with mud; 

We dodge the shells which round us play, 
Both H. E., gas and dud. 

We haul it up the steepest hills, 

Then haul it dow^n as w^ell ; 
We haul it over rocks and rills, 

While Hamlin raises Hell. 

A beggar's lot is always ours — 

Both food and drink we bum; 
Some nights we sleep for ten long hours. 

But those nights seldom come. 

If shells they lack, they bawl us out; 

"More trucks!" they shout, "And hurry!" 
Our trucks are missing — w^recked no doubt. 

So really w^e should w^orry. 

The Boche is done — the Lord be praised! 

We surely are in luck; 
For one more week of this Hell raised, 

And we wouldn't have a truck. 

So gather round the festive fire 

And sing this sweet refrain: 
Blest be the day when w^e retire 

With our Ammunition Train. 



-Lieutenant A. C. Donovan. 



Verdun, November 12, 1918. 



One Hundred Two 



A review of the services performed by Company "A, ' 102nd Ammuni- 
tion Train, U. S. A., lends to but one thought — efficiency commencing the 

first day a spirit of esprit de corps was initiated and continued to grow^, so 
that during the active operation at the front and later the trying monotony 
of the time after the 1 1 th of November, this organization gave at all times 
1 00 per cent service, and by reason of the discipline always shown were 
selected for many difficult assignments, each one well performed. 

Too much praise can not be given Captain Harold N. Olmstead, Lieuten- 
ants Homer K. Sw^eet and Albert C. Donovan for their untiring and unselfish 
w^ork and interest on behalf of the members of Company "A. " 

Alw^ays w^ill linger in my memory the co-operation given me by these 
officers and men of w^hich it has alw^ays been a pleasure to have under my 
command. 

- — Licutcnani-Colo)icl Walter L. Bell, 
Field Artillery, American Expeditionary Forces. 



One Hundred Three 




ronolodi^ 



Organization of Companies "1" and "2, S. A. S 

Train, in Syracuse 
Moved to first camp, Messina Springs 
Arrived Pelham Bay, New York City 
Paraded in New York 
Left Pelham Bay 
Arrived Camp Wadsworth, S. C 
Companies "1" and "2" consolidated forming 

pany ..... 

Captain Olmstead took command of Company 
Moved to Grover 
Returned to Camp Wadsworth 
Left Wadsworth 

Arrived Camp Stuart, Newport News, Vc 
Embarked for France 
Sailed 

Attacked by Subs 
Landed in Brest, France 
Left Brest 

Arrived Camp de Souge 
Left Camp de Souge for Front 
Arrived at Front 
Drive Opened 
Moved to Le Claire 
Moved to Verdun 
Armistice Signed 
Move d to Belleray 
Left Belleray 
Arrived at Montsurs 
Moved to Laval 
Arrived Bonchamp 
Reviewed by General Pershing 
Left Bonchamp 
Arrived Brest 
Sailed from Brest 
Landed at Hoboken 
Arrived Camp Merritt 
Left Camp Merritt 
Paraded in New York 
Arrived at Camp Upton 
Mustered Out 



Ammunition 




June 


30, 1917 




Aug. 


11, 1917 




Aug, 


22, 1917 




Aug. 


30, 1917 




Sept. 


6, 1917 




Sept. 


9, 1917 


• ..^.. • 


Com- 






Oct. 


13, 1917 




Oct. 


21, 1917 




Dec. 


30, 1917 




Feb. 


11-15, '18 




May 


18, 1918 




May 


19, 1918 




June 


14, 1918 




June 


15, 1918 




June 


16, 1918 




June 


27, 1918 




July 


2, 1918 




July 


3, 1918 




Sept. 


7, 1918 




Sept. 


16, 1918 




Sept. 


26, 1918 




Oct. 


12, 1918 




Oct. 


23, 1918 




Nov. 


11, 1918 




Nov. 


28, 1918 




Dec. 


10, 1918 




Dec. 


13, 1918 




Dec. 


22, 1918 




Dec. 


29, 1918 




Jan. 


30, 1919 




Feb. 


25, 1919 




Feb. 


26, 1919 




Mar. 


3, 1919 




. ' Mar. 


11, 1919 




Mar. 


11, 1919 




Mar. 


24, 1919 




Mar. 


25, 1919 




Mar. 


26, 1919 




April 


3, 1919 



One Hundred Four 



©erttles 

d J3tdevdeiitents 



art 



Being an account of the service ol the 1 02nd Ammunition Train taken 
from the record of service as published in Bulletin No. I, Headquarters, 52nd 
Field Artillery Brigade, American Expeditionary Forces, under date of Janu- 
ary 2, 1919. 

BATTLE. 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive (on west bank of the Meuse, between Bethin- 
court, Forges, Gercourt and Dannevoux), September 26th, 1918. 

This was a prepared attack. The 33rd Division was the right Division 
of the 111. U. S. Corps, which w^as the right Corps of the First American 
Army. The 80th Division w^as on our left, and the units of the 1 7th French 
Corps occupied the sector to the right of the First American Army, but made 
no infantry attack. The 33rd Division carried all its. objectives, including the 
Hagen Stellung, and organized the sector for defense along the west bank 
of the Meuse from Dannevoux to Forges. During this attack, the 2 1 2 R. A. C, 
French (9 Batteries), and the Second Battalion 308 R. A. L., French (3 Bat- 
teries), were attached to the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade. 

MINOR ACTION. 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive, Forges, Consenvoye, Dannevoux, Meuse River 
Sector, September 2 7th to October 2nd, 1918. 

This action consisted of holding the right flank of the First American 
Army along the w^est bank of the Meuse River from Forges to the westerly 
edge of the Bois de le Cote Lemont during its organization for defense by the 
33rd Division under continual observed artillery fire. 

ENGAGEMENT. 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Attack on Brieulles, October 3rd to 7th, 

1918. 

This attack was the continuation of an attack by the First American 
Army, participated in by the 4th Division on our left, supported by the 
artillery fire of the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade. The Trench du Teton, 
just south of Brieulles, a strongly held field work, and the enemy works 
in the town of Brieulles itself, had prevented the advance of the 80th Division 
for several days. The 80th Division had been replaced by the 4th Division 
for the purpose of the attack. The position was taken and enabled the troops 
of the First American Army to the w^est of Brieulles to advance in the direction 
of Dun-sur-Meuse. The 102nd Trench Mortar Battery transported ammuni- 
tion to battery positions w^ith its motor equipment. 

BATTLE. 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Attack on Bois de Chaume, Bois Plat-Chene 
and Consenvoye, October 8th- 13th, 1918. 

This was a prepared attack by the 1 7th French Corps, Maior-General 
Claudel commanding, to which Corps the 33rd Division and the 52nd Field 
Artillery Brigade were transferred for the purpose of the attack, and were 
on the left flank. The 29th Division was on our right and the 80th Division, 
III U. S. Corps, on our left. The original plan called for the participation 
of one Battalion of the 32nd Infantry, supported by the Machine Gun Bat- 
talions, the Artillery being organized into a grouoment, consisting of the 1 04th 
Field Artillery, Second Battalion of the 105th Field Artillerv, and the Second 
Battalion of the 1 06th Field Artillery, under command of Colonel Emery T. 

One Hundvcd Fh>e 



Smith, 1 06th Field Artillery, for the direct support of the attack, the re- 
mainder of the Brigade being at the disposal of the Division Commander for 
additional artillery support. As the attack progressed, the amount of oppo- 
sition which developed required the reinforcement of the attacking troops 
by the entire 60th Infantry Brigade, supported by all the Machine Gun Bat- 
talions, under the command of Brigadier-General Wolfe, which Brigade was 
subsequently relieved by the 65th Infantry Brigade under command of Brig- 
adier-General King. The Infantry of the 33rd Division on three successive 
days carried its attack to its objective opposite Giselher Stellung, but was 
ordered each time to retire, to make contact with the 29th Division on its 
right, which had been unable to overcome the strong enemy opposition in 
the Bois de Consenvoye, Bois de la Grande Montague and Bois d' Ormont. 
During this battle over 5,000 prisoners were captured by the 1 7th French 
Corps. The 1 02nd Trench Mortar Battery was in reserve and transported 
ammunition to battery positions with its motor equipment. 

BATTLE. 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Attack on Heights of the Grande Montagne, 
France, October 1 4th, 1918. 

This was a prepared attack by the 29th Division on the Height? of the 
Grande Montagne, which was supported by the fire of the 52nd Field Artillery 
Brigade, and was intended to push forward the line of that Division to the 
objective previously attained by the 33rd Division. The 26th Division In- 
fantry (French) was on the right of the 29th Division. The enemy strongly 
opposed every attack, and but slight advance was made by the American 
troops, who sustained heavy losses through machine gun and artillery fire. 

MINOR OPERATION. 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Vilosnes, Sivry, Bois de Chaume Line, Oc- 
tober 15-21, 1918. 

This action consisted of supporting the 33rd Division in holding and 
organizing the position attained by them and held under heavy observed 
artillery fire continuing day and night. In addition to the work of supply- 
ing ammunition to battery positions with its motor equipment, the 1 02nd 
Trench Mortar Battery had four guns in action during the night of October 
20-21, 1918, in an attach on Vilosnes. 

RELIEF. 

On October 21st the 33rd Division was relieved by the 15th French 
Colonial Division and the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade was relieved by the 
Divisional Artillery of this Division. The Brigade then proceeded to rest 
areas, as follows: 

Headquarters, 52nd Field Artillery Brigade Dieue 

1 04th Field Artillery Bois de Cinq Freres 

105th Field Artillery Bois la Ville 

1 06th Field Artillery Bois la Ville 

1 02nd Ammunition Train Fauberg Pave, V'^erdun 

102nd Trench Mortar Battery Fauberg Pave, Verdun 

On October 25th, the 52nd Field Artillery Brigade was detached from 
the 33rd Division and attached to the 79th Division. The 52nd Field Artil- 
lery Brigade, as part of the 79th Division, took over the Grande Montagne 
sector on the east bank of the Meuse, occupied by the 29th Division, the 
52nd Field Artillery Brigade relieving the 158th Field Artillery Brigade on 
the nights of October 28-29 and 29-30, 1918. 

MINOR ACTION. 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Grande Montagne, Belleu Bois, and Bois 
d'Ormont Sector, October 29-November 1-2, 1918. 

One Hundred Six 



This action consisted of holding the Grande Montagne, Belleu Bois, Bois 
d'Ormont front Hne under continual artillery and machine gun fiire, which 
direct observation from the enemy positions in Haraumont and Bois d'Ormont. 
The Brigade was supporting the 79th Division, which was in the 1 7th French 
Corps. The 1 5 th Colonial French Division was on its left and the 26th U. S. 
Division on its right. The III U. S. Corps was on the left of the 1 7th French 

^°'P^- BATTLE. 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Dun-sur-Meuse, France, November 1-2-3 
1918. 

This was a prepared attack by the 111 U. S. Corps to advance the line 
held by them along the Cunel-Brieulles Road and further to the west of 
the Meuse and from Brieulles to Dun-sur-Meuse to the north, which resulted 
in the forcing of the enemy off the heights on the west bank of the Meuse. 
The attack was supported by a demonstration fire by the 52nd Field Artillery 
Brigade. BATTLE. 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Attack on Haraumont Ridge and Borne du 
Cornouiller, France, November 4-7, 1918. 

This battle was started by a reconnoissance in force by the 1 58th Infantry 
Brigade in the direction of Borne du Cornouiller, and tw^o reconnaissances 
in force by the 15 7th Infantry Brigade in the direction of Bois de la Grande 
Montagne, toward Reville and Etraye, in conjunction with the attack on the 
left by the 1 5th Colonial French Division, and developed into an engagement 
involving the entire 158th Infantry Brigade and a large part of the 15 7th 
Infantry Brigade. After repeated attacks on the Borne du Cornouiller, the 
enemy was forced to retire, and the 79th Division, pivoting on their right, 
advanced their left to Sollerino Farm, connecting up with the 1 5th D. 1. C. F., 
w^hich had crossed the Meuse at Vilosnes, taken Haraumont Ridge and reached 
the farm. The 79th Division in this advance broke through the Gieselher 
Stellung and the Kriemheld Stellung. 

BATTLE. 

Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Operations resulting in the capture of Reville, 
Etraye and Crepion, November 8th, 1918. 

This was an advance by the 79th Division through the Bois de la Grande 
Montagne, Bois d'Etrayes, Bois de Wavrille, Belleu Bois, Bois de Chene, and 
Bois d'Ormont, resulting in the capture of the towns of Reville, Etraye, Wav- 
rille and Crepion. On November 7th, the 11 Colonial French Corps took com- 
mand of the troops formerly constituting the 1 7th French Corps, General 
Clautel remaining in command of the II Colonial French Corps. 

BATTLE. 

Beause-Argonne Offensive. Operations against Cote du Romagne, Cote 
du Morimont, and Cote du Chateau, November 9-H, 1918. 

This was an advance by the 79th Division, including an attack on the 
high, abrupt Hills 328, 319, Cote du Morimont and Cote du Chateau, rising 
from the plains east of the Tinte Brook, opposite Damvillers, w^hich were 
strongly prepared positions in the Kriemheld Stellung, dominating the plains 
and held w^ith aggressive persistence by the enemy because of their strategic 
importance. The 15 7th Infantry Brigade succeeded in capturing Hills 328 
and 319. The 158th Infantry Brigade was obliged to attack the Cote d'Orne 
(Hill 356). although outside of its sector, because of its dominating position 
on their left flank and made four successive attacks thereon without effect- 
ing its capture. The action was in full progress upon the termination of hos- 
tilities bv the armistice going into effect at 1 1 o'clock, November 1 1 th. 1918. 
The 15th Colonial Infantry Di^'ision French was on the left and the 26th U. S. 
Division on the right of the 79th Division. 

One Hundred Seven 



< 



o 

X 




u 

cu 

c 



-0 



c 



-a 

(C 
3 



1) 

s 
z 



z> 



>^ 



>- 
zS 



c 



zz 



L'J 



> 



^^ 



>-< > 

—I ^ -C 

CJco a 

4JQ0 «J 
c/] ao Q 



3 't: 

,__3 IJ 
(U U, Z . 

> --^ 

03 ■•-' "^ 

^ J; °C) !m 

r^ un QO ? 
O vo r^ O 
^ — r<i U, 



n c 



i: o 



ccn-^ 

o 

— sO O^ 



o o o 


•> )-l )_ 

SCQCQ 
Z r : 

J > > 

cO<< 
-5 S S 

^ B B 
. 3 3 

UJCLCL 

lO Qv O^ 

m cn r<^ 
sD rsi <vj 



z ^ 



c^ 72 
^Z " 

— JS 

(^ .3 

a, D 

X cC y 
O j2 (C 

CQUJ 



c 
■7 bo 

. O 

^J 

. "^ CO 

Z r< 

4-' 
>;co r 
Jy ^ oj 
c >» > 
3 t <f 

O OJ ^ 

w^oZ 

— (^1 



<C 00 00 CO r^ 00 0^ C2D t^ QC OD 00 00 CO 00 00 CO QO QO 
Q O^O^O^C^C^O^O^O^O^C^O^OOO^O^C^ OCT^ 






<^CliC)tOS-a3tjcCCX'C(CtC(C|ij(0 tCQ, 



(C cC di u to C 



oooooor^r^r^QOt^oOoOoOaooOoooooo sOco 



sOOcOQOi^' — in — 00^' — ' — — 0^0 vO' — 



aiQ-roo,(CCcCO-c0aQ.'0tC(Crvcv 



CO 


CO 

cC 



CO 

(» 

CO 










tfl CO 
CO X 

UU '■ 

4-1 4-1 


; to 
CO 

cC 

u 






^ 


u 


CO 








CO CO • 


CO 


























(C 


u, 


u. 






u,u, • 


u. 






d:: 


. 


, (0 

















u 



cCcOcOQ,cO(CcCcO(C(0(0(C(OtCcOtO 

■ n c ■ n o ■ n ■ n ■ n ■ c ■ c ■ >n ■ n ■ c ' n ■ n ■ n ■ c 






< 

-TJ 4-1 4_, tC to 



■ ^ 



^ S^,^ o^ o 

^ ID UJ ^ "^ _C 



CQ 



o^ 2 — < ^ 3-^ 5;^ 
" <u o 

\O(CtCfl3n3(l)(U.X0>Hj!,n^333 

<cqcqcqcqcqcqcqcqcqi:qcqcqqqcqcq 









— Or^''r"^f^''OOcoorvJf^C>f^vCi^'~ O^O^ 



U 



3 "H 

CQX 



CO 

Ji s 






c . 
o <u 

^ £ 

3 >. 

OQCQ 



> -5.. ..t;>- tw!^ 

^ UUCP's r r^n^ .C -cD^ 2: -^ ^ ^ > 1^ .^ 

•ii S^^c/i^E-i^z S5 B^'JjI^ ^ o-c^lZlZZ ^^ ^ 

>-j3roQom'-i-'' — fco^ ? u >cN-^mH' 3 CZ°C°0<^r-'"^!^ — O 

,<^[ vCO^O 4;— rtJ^ llfN^O 43^ O (Ni — ^ 

U: r<^ — -^O — CQ — E— UZf^Jt-^f^l J_,?^(^' c^ — — — 

. . :r . . . . . . 

-pi v^r «^ ^ <^' f^ <^ <^' <^ O^' cW cK O^ <W cW od m' c<^ en CO c<^ 00 r~^' c^ f<^ 
^ ^- fN — ■ r--iCNi'— f^ — — >— — cs!CN<^ — ^ 

5 >. ^ ^ ^ >> ^ ^ ^"^ >^ ^"^ *:> ^ >-> +J4J>^^>^>. &ii ^^ 

sooosooo<so<.oo-^ oosss^ < 00 

f^r-^r^r^oor^r^f^oOQOt^QOt^r-^QC r^r->QOaOoOQO ^^ 

1) ___________ ^ ^ ^ — ^- ^ _ __ — ^ ^ -— 

•JZ 0«^<^.00^i^>^f<^0 — «^0"^f^0 — ot^ — — o^ Lf 

C crs — — rsi. — ^ — — . — ;ni. — on — en cnmr-si ^^ 

UJ _ 

— a a-TjJH 0, CL CL a a-^: a a a tc — § a jS JS J2 ^ 



i sO fs o en o o 



C7 



c 

CO 

a: 



(0 

z 



cC 1) <u 
J-i c c 
O o 



rv) en o m — vC ' — n.i 



u 



^ O -" +i -" 



(U (U . 




>&5P^>S-o>>>^>2f^> 



cC 
C 

3 



p • 



I- .- ■- rt 






<U fO 

g ;_ OJ (U QJ 

^ &.> o.>.> 

•~^ o 'C o 'J^ 'C 



s ^ ? 
on c 

en -Q 






3 cc -r 






1- HJ o ^ _cl 

O ^ 

2 (u j:: 



jC-H 



s I 



■H . ?<i 



S: o 



OC^>-3>-i-3SS— cc 
(C (C (C CO CO -C -i= jS -2 J2 

UUUUUUOOUUUUU 



^: c 

-3^ 

CO ' 

^d 

, CO 

ii "^ 

o M 

^: 3 
o o 



U 



< 

JJ-3 C^-^-§ 
<! J M <c 
•U (U tn . ,0 

O £ s'S'^ O 
UUUQQQ 



en en 



CO oj 

6^ 



O 'I' 
^ c 





"0 -rt 






n 


>- T3 




— 




ll 


Qj O^ 


> 


<, 


-J= J2 




c 

(0 

> 



c 


3c5 


7 s 




>. >> 


* -1- 












s 


Q 


QQ 








< :>: ^^ :<l^^ ^^^!^. i^i^ Z^ ^ 

f^ o S ^o f^cv^TTr^j ? •- Qo it: (^ 00 (^ 5^ c ■^ 

— h-OQ-E — <^ Lo — ^ZlXf^ — o^^ooof^J-«^f^U — 

. * !!!!!!!...!!!.•{—-.!.:{• .... 

<j^ r^r^QOt^t^a0O^a0QOcOQOcX)00t-^0O00"-C5i^t^i-^a0'^t^r^r^a0 

^ ^. '~- ^. '". ^. ~ "". '", "". " "". "". ^, ^. "". "", ^' ^, "- '", "". "". ^- '". ~ ~ 

^ rs. — (vj f^ — 

t^c^aor^t^r^'OaOaoaOQOoOQOr^aoi~->aOf^'"^r^f^i^QO<~<^t^aO 

OJ — ,— _, ^, , ^_^__^___^^ — ^ — ^, 

73 -•.^^....^^^......^^..•...-.-..•■..•'-••.> 

C ' — Tr>i f^ CO rvi — csifs ' — ' — < — ' — — ro — 

UJ _ _ „ 



■^fn-<r^t^^OooOooaO(N 



-0 
























re 
3 




ao r-i "T f<^ <N 


— 


— 




i^ O c^l r^ 


cr 






' — — 


— 






" — — 


C/J 


o 




(0 




(« U5 




CO 






CO 


CO 






tf) 




CO CO 




CO 






CO 


CO 




c 




(C 




(C (C 




(6 






cC 


(C 




-jS 




U 




UU 




u 






U 


u 




u 




_^ 








J_, 






4-> 


4..> 


J^ 


(U 




CO 




CO CO 




CO 






CO 


»J 


s 




)-l 




^ Im 




>« 






u 


Im 
























(C 


'U, 


UhUh 




Uh 




Uh 


Lu 


a: 


(C 


D , 


QJ - . 








1^ ' . 






^< 


C 1J 


C 1) <u 


(L 


4) 


1 


f- dJ OJ Oi 






P ^ 


p. "cC "(C 








p. tC cC n3 




a 

n 


(C 


(C 


cv, 




b 


\> 




'.>.> 


_> 


_> 


_> 


6i 


' > > 


_> 



(U 

s 
z 



u 



1-1 It >H 



u^ci: 



C 4) OJ (U 
(0 *j +j j_i 
(U (C (C (C 

^ .. ., .. ^.b.^.^ ^ (c (C tc^ .::; (C (« •:::. 



(C D 0) <U (C 

>« C C C ^-i 1^ 

O O O -j^ 

D- be w) M ex S: 



c c ^ 

bfl W) > 



o 



UJ 



_ (11 01 -t-" 



^n 5-5 R^ 






-T3 









CT! 



> 



UU 



2uJ< ^g.c 






13 

C 

o 
S 






CO 






^^ ..^1 



.T "' , CO G (U >> >. - -t 



c 

fl) flJ Im 

> c "u 
I- >»^ 

tC (C (U 






J2 i. 



^o 



> >-" . c 

Z^>>' "^ > • S >- ^ 

« ^ ^ ^' ^" i^ . z z X I ^ X 

in Orsrv4^-«i Om"-^^D -cCrvjaTj-iu n^r ^ ir^ ~ i^ no 

o o^o^o^o^c^o^o^c^c^■c^^c^c^c^'-^c^c^<:^o^c^o^ c^^a^c^ 

U - — ; ; " ~; -~ 

^3 fW m' f^S" en' CO rr^' cK <^' n-T cr^' ^ (W oO o' ^ vO f'^" O^ cr< 6rC vO rsj* ^ O* orC 

ooooosooos<o4Q<so<ods so<o 

4-1 ^" '^ "^ '"" '"^ ""* '^ '^ *■" *"~ ^^ '^ '^ '^ '^ ^— ^"" ^~ ^~ *"■ ^"^ •" ^^ 

— c<^ o O O u^ 00 «^ •— f<^ (vj .— OO o^' O^' —- O^ «W C> vo' in (N fW eo o' in 

C r<jmcn' — — cn f^Jcsi r^ — rj cn — — — , 

CO a a a 



T3 

D 

cn 



c 

CO 



s 

Z 



D 3 3 3^^ ^■^.►^<<<S^<-^<<^S< 



,<S 



'^ CO -rj- .^ en 



U -"U 



(C o ^ o 



o -^ 
a 



to 4i: 

03 (U CO 



C <U HJ 

o 



t-^ m "^ csj vO 



en V) 

CO CO 



uu 



c 
CO .;:: 

(0 <U (0 



lu ^^ vu /- (U lu Pi lu >" lu - — CD CO «.' "" 



1^ *-< ■ ■ 

"^ ° CO CO HJ JJ 

tlfi 



^^ — 



to CO (0 

<n <n tn 

cC CO to 



CO - . , 

!-i OJ u u 

o <0 cC CO 

£" > > > 



^uou6^^^^^^6^<^^^^d:d:^S^ cjcLii ° 



o 



LJ 



1) 
bo 



CO (U <=-• 



a; 



J 



;u 



0"^-illJ 



- ii k-« -- '■'J ^^^ ^ ^H 

<J.2 grTO OJ ii 

^^ •-r' ^^ W '— > 



■-2 OJ <■ CO ^ 

— --— ^^^^ 3T S c 

ij (o'gvHwE ^u'liJJ S-C "L" Co' 

.t: S 2 * y=: £)«— =: = _5 txi c c 
XXXXXXXXXXXX^ 



5 £^ 

CO o CO 

= g'^ 

o . 
« w to 
>> C (U 

o-n c 
CO o o 



(U 



-rcn uu 



a;2 



en 
I CO 



S^ 






(0 

a 



(L) 

c 

(u ..i 7i .;_; (^ 



oj 1:^6 ^ no 

-7" c >-■ 

^ CO >H ? 

CJUJ 0-0 

>> a > 

CO D O >> 

-J -J -J J 






30 



2; t-3 



-a 
< 



o 

X 



o 
U 

ID 

C 






c 



^ Z^> Z_- . ^. C2 Z^ZZ z 

c 3.S^ ^^u i^ ^.-os^S -^t § 

^ J^ga; Sag ^JS Zs^s^S .i:i° £ 

t r^lo 2 2^ ^O £ ^ 2 ^ S ^ C^ 

= 30-C a;Z- ^ ii^ ,0 '^^'O.i-C^-'^S C oT 

Sm gl-O gcnc/^^ £^^uJ3^ujOSS_| ^^ -^ P 

'^^O 301-t;0^ l>m — fN-2 (CD^oO"Ju-^^^C^u-^--H'-^aO-2^ ^ 

J£^c^p- — 3:; >^Q _,^_ (JOcD — aOfN(NinLni:QCli;<N<^(J 

* ; . ! ! ! 5{. !!.!!:{• . . . . 

^ sO' ^' fK rC cW ^ en r<^' ro rrl" cK *^ ro rg en' cK en m' en en — en en en 

o^ooso^ooossos SOOOOOSqSOS 

f^r^r^i^oor-. vOi^r^r-.Q0a0t~^aC' coent^^rv-t^oCaooOt^QO 

O f<-^' O* o' en en o' o' O* 0^ o' o' — o' o' en en ■^* r>,' o' — ' O O O 

' — , " — en, fvj enrN cvien — f^j enf^(^4 encNen»~en 



3 



c 



B 

(0 

z 



1 3^.3 3 3r^3.3.3^^<;^ 






<cn 



U,^ (C 3 ^ CO n3 CC -— ^ 
<U 3«=2^ 3^^'e^ 3 



.s<^sss^s 



o^ 



, — r-NOenu^Lnes-^ooo 



U 



« <U (U 



C (U 






HJ 1) 

c c ^ 
P P_ (c 



U 



Uh 



oo O O r^ ^O CNi (VI 



u 



(U (L) . • lU 
g g dj OJ g (U 

vwPO'cc'tcP'cC 

CC (C •- (C tS .!-. .- cC .- 



^ic^^ucE^^CL^^cLCL^a: 



q: 



- "U (C 

D C >- 

!;:; o o 

^ CC ' 



u. 






<u 

c 

p CC (C CC 
5P > > > 



c 
CC .- .::: .:- cc .- 



._ .. a.> .. .. 

CL ^ U U CL ^ a- CL d. ^ CL 



.Ld 



^.g 



_ U,i3 ajs (c^ ^U 

CC S >. ^;3 ai^ ii c ^ 

-jc (0 CC ^"3 1; -r 'J <" u^ 

r- (C to h W) t;;- CO 



CC (U 

73 cC 



<f 



;cri 



3 
CC 



e t! ^ "5 >- <n aj lu 



cC 

o 



3 >.'-^ o -0 

' "— iTl CC r 



u 



CO _cC 



313 



cocc5coooocL)(U'.ii730 



"0 JS 

^ jj -7! m 

-^ - dj -r — 

7 Si, «J 



<U rS>::5 >v (C CC 



13 

Ft . CC 

to' 



c <» 

(C CO 

= s 

n3 - 



^ -;:; CC iJ 

!> 3 
CLQ- 



cc Ji! 



o o 
CLCU 



3 3 3^ "^ C Z -!!1. J3 CO "T; 

rri (CUcnC JLCDC (Tic (U'^-S • >^> 

^^ 3z^,^ i' Vl^ ^ ^^^ > ^^ 

■w' Jsn . ^cn^lS • ..H O r*^ .= .J ^"^-5 cfi-c-; 

— r^ (C -T3 i: a^ O Tf n lUu-^ SU C u D^ c Z t^ t^ o 

Cl m U CC; O sO oo, — "^ U U Lo CJ — un CD c/1 en — r^i — U, <^ — r^ CU 

QOt^r^t~>Qor^QOi^QOr>.aoc30i^ oOoOoOf^t^f^t^'^'^oO r^oooo 

sO c^ cK cK c<^ c<K^ vO f<^? O *K <N r>i <W rC vfC o^ CO m c<"i r<^ f^. r^ vO co Cvi '^ 

— — — — <N — — — en -— — — — — tN <N — — ' — ^^ , (VI 

'^4J4J4J ''^ ^J >>4j"n^ >^>i4J >>" 'n jj jj ^" 4J 4.; U ^ 4J ^'^ 

^qqqs os_o<o^So s_<<oooooqs qs< 

!!!!!!!!!!!!! '.'.'.'....■.. . .a- 

od <rC Tf o' — vo' m' (N -^^ o' o* (N r-C rC -rj^ o' co c^C c<^" ,— -^ t-C oC m' o' O '^ 



a-^ 3 Cm D.-^ 3JH 3 o- jH'g 






U 



o 





ffi 


lU 


(L) 


u 


rO 


J-* 







> 


a 




'u 





t^' — QOOC^tnrsirsic^ 



(0 J 
to M 



U 



^ "J - 

^.> Ef.>: ^.> &.>.>.> 

^ a. cA^ 0- ^ CL c/] CL CL 0- 








«— 1 









>. 


>— 1 


-VI 


^ 


to 


-fl 


C 


t) 




to 


-TJ 


3 


(C 


(C 


Q::cr: 



a 



s ^ 

(U — 






to 3 

to 1) 

, c .-S 

C « P 



< 



to O 



H 






■^u 



T3 C 
1) >>' 

a: q:: Q^ a: cn cn 



tC jj 

" d " 






J-) •-fc- >- >-l 



D 



O (C (U 
O-fl J= JS .Si 

cn c/0 CD c/1 cn 



--2 



to to to 
tn <n m 
(C (0 (0 



U-. UuUh 



J:; *= 
2 ° 

CI. M 
.„ ._ ._ .„ ir CO 

>- >M !-i >-i O ■^^ 



1) (U (U OJ 



(0 (0 (0 co 
> > > > 



C (0 
o HJ 

"5 In 



(U .3 

(U - 
CT! <U 

to i> 

U-CL 



<! 



o^ ^ H g o_^-< 
o 



D -C j£ jc 






. o 
•r C 



(0 



>>■= 3 
^<4 



o — 



U U 



c 

(0 

c 

D 
4-' 
3 
(U 

^ .J 

.1-. (0 O 



X 

3 
(0 



UJ 



i; D- 



cn 



c 
c/icn 



"IJ 



ft) ^ 

to o 

z • ^ >: ^'^' 

^ w c M ^ "^ 

•2' <v a o 1^ c A ' ^ 

•^ -i2 -2 J:^ _c _ "^u-^ a 

oo .> =" Ji OO oO 

G^ en O < Z — O^ — u^ 



\0 <^ O^ (^ <^ c^ 


c^ c<^ 0^ 


— (vj (vi — (N — 


— fN (VI 


?^ ^ * 4J ^ 4- 


4J >>'E 


c8 cC C (J (C (J 


y (0 a, 


ss4os_o 


o:^< 


QO CO t^ r^ QC t^ 


t^ 00 00 


QN 0^ ^^ 0^ 0^ ^ 


o^ 0^ 


TT 00* r^" ^ c^ 


" c^^'o'^" 


rsi fvj — {vq ,— 


r-1 CO 


^^ — . 


,^ 


*n (^ t^'C >-; >, >, )-i 'c 


a tc-^ a tc ~ 


-- ns a 


<S^4<S^ 


, 4S.< 


GO M 








(N in 




efl 










CO CO 




CO 










CO CO 




(C 










(0 cC 


















a^ 


.H.^ 




UU 




- 5 


S «: 




■w ■» 




<» -i 


(C J: 




CO CO 




•-U 


-^0 


. )h >-i 






^iZiZ 


<u oj i? 5*^ J; 


C <u 1> 


■M *J ™ C 


■*-' -^ 


(C CO a "^ "^ D 


_> > ^ W).4J £ 


Sf > > 


Q- 


- c 


c^ 


^ 



c 



re 





c • ^ O u t: 

^> .i: _c b 1-, — , 
J^ >-i CO jr; (C 

^-5 -H d ^ 6 

^7 >> c >-< o o 
nj tC 1) j3 3 ^^ 

HHHHH> 



3 

a 






MEN SOMETIME MEMBERS OF COMPANY A. 

Adams, Geo. H Sergeant Mechanic 

Austin, Hugh C Private, Lirst Class 

Barzee, Alva First Sergeant 

Biron, Gilbert Private 

Cheney, Roy A First Lieutenant 

Farrar, Hayden W Private 

Frey, Robt. J Private 

Frizzel, Chas Second Lieutenant 

Gerhart, Leslie Private 

Hardy, Rex Private 

Horn, Henry Private 

Huth, Robert Private 

Jackson, Bert K Mechanic 

Kearney, Philip J Second Lieutenant 

Kelley, James M Cook 

Krigger, Augustus* Private, First Class 

Lothridge, Chas Private, First Class 

Mosher, Robert Private, First Class 

Murphy, Daniel C Private, First Class 

Ogglesby, Howard Private, First Class 

Quinn, Wm. H Private, First Class 

Rowlands, Thos. A Private, First Class 

Selig, Lester N First Sergeant 

Strodel, Norbert J ■ Private 

Taylor, Westley A Private 

*Traiisf erred to Aviatioi and killed in action. 



One Hundred Fifteen 



INDEX 



Adams. G. H 115 

Adamson, E. L 17, 62, 63, lOS 

Air raids 31, 32 

Alpine landing' 52 

Argonne 34, 37, 105, 106, 107 

Armistice 46, 104, 107 

Athus lO'O 

Austin, H. C 115 

Auxiliary of Syracuse 10, 88 

Balevcourt 33 

Baliszewski, S, F SO, 81,108 

Barbezieux 29 

Bard, C. M 40, 48, 71, 74, 75, 96, 108 

Bar-le-Duc 31, 32 

Barnard, F. M 8, 10, 68, 93 108 

Barry, B. J 68, 69, 108 

Barzee, A 115 

Baseball 14, 91, 92 

Battles 105, 106, 107 

Bell, Col. ^V. L 8, 9, 88, 103 

Bellera V 47, 104 

Bennett. E. C 66, 67, 108 

Berglund, E. R 76, 77, 108 

Bethincourt 34, 105 

Bidinger, R. M 76, 77, 108 

Biron. G 115 

Blackburg 11 

Blois 30 

Boettcher, W. A 72, 73, 108 

Bois de Belleu 106, 107 

Bois de Chaume 105, 106 

Bois de Cinq Freres 106 

Bois de Consenvoye 106 

Bois de la Cote Lemont 105 

Bois d' Etrayes 107 

Bois de la Grande Montag:ne 106, 107 

Bois de Nixeville 32 

Bois d' Ormont 106, 107 

Bois de Plat Chene 105 

Bois de Sartelles 33 

Bois de Ville 33, 106 

Bois de Wavrille 107 

Bonchamp 6, 49, 104 

Bonneau 23, 25 

Bordeaux 23, 28, 29 

Boine du Cornouiller 107 

Brabant 42, 44 

Bras 42, 44 

Bratton, T 84, 85, 108 

Brecht, W. W 86, 87, 108 

Brest 21, 22, 2.3, 49, 50, 51, 104 

Brieulles 105, 10« 

Britt, L. A 38, 78, 79, 108 

Britt, W. E 86, 108 

Bunce, A. L 72, 73, 108 

Burke, F. J 74. 75, 108 

Burrows, J. B 29, 62, 63, 108 

Buxton, C. C 78, 79, 108 

Bvrne, W. J 78, 79, 108 



Cacenski, R 72, 

Cafe Fricot 49, 

Camp Custer 

Camp Goidon 

Camp "Katz Fur" 

Camp Merritt 

Camp de Soug^e 23, 25 to 29, 92, 

Camp Stuart 17, 19, 

Camp Fpton 

Camp Wadsworth 9 to 16, 61, 

Campbell, D. G 8. 10. 84, 85, 

Canteen, The 47, 

Carey, T. J 72. 

Carolina 10 

Carroll, M. J 

Caup, M 

Charnv 33, 37, 

Chattancourt 33. 

Cheney. Capt. R. X 8. 10, 15, 

Christensen, A. N 60, 

Christian. H. R 80, 

Christmas 

Chronology 

Church, A. E 8, 10, 15, 

Clark, J. J 19, 66 



73, 109 
94, 95 
17, 49 
... 18 
... 13 
51, 104 
93, 104 
91, 104 
53. 104 
91, 104 
93, 109 
48, 96 
91, 109 
to 15 
86, 109 

80, 109 
42, 44 
34, 35 
88, 115 
61, 109 

81, 109 
10, 48 
. .. It)4 
84, 109 

,67, 109 



Clark. L. J 80, 109 

Coblenz 100, 101 

Collins, L. H 70, 109 

Company B. 102 A. T.'. 91 

Conklin, F 63, 100, 101, 109 

Consenvoye 37, 42, 105 

Converse 11 

Converse College 10, 8S 

Conway, J. J 72, 91, 109 

"Cooties" 47 

Corbett, P. M 82, 109 

Cote de Chateau 107 

Cote du Morimont 107 

Cote d' Orne 107 

Coughran, J. M 84, 85, 109 

Couhe-Verac 30 

Couse, A. H 64, 65, 91, 109 

Cowpens 11 

Crane, L. E 24, 62, 63, 89, 109 

Creplon 107 

"Crown Princess Cecile" 51 

Cuisy 36 

Cumieres 33 

Curtis. E. A 62. 63. 109 

•Czar" 19 to 22 

■Dale. R. L 25. 66, 67, 109 

Dale, R. W 60, 61, 109 

Damvillers 107 

Dannevoux 105 

"Dante Aigrette" 19 

Death Vallev 42, 46 

"De Kalb" 19 

Dieue 107 

Dodson, J. W 66, 67, 109 

Douamont 42 

Donovan, Lieut. A. C. 26, 32. 40. 49, 54, 55, 
92, 96, 99, 102, 103, 109 

Dovlp, E. J 78, 79, 91, 92, 93, 109 

Doyle, G. J 70, 71, 109 

Dugny ; . . 47 

Dumont 51 

Dun 10-5, 107 

Dunham, H 58, 59, 110 

Echternach 100 

Fdwards, E. G 37, 76, 100, 101, 110 

Embarkation 19, 51, 104 

Eoff, V. B. 64, 65, 110 

Erway. H. E 11, 13, 68, 110 

Eschweiler 100 

Esnes 34. 35 

Etraye 42, 46, 107 

Fah- Forest, S. C 10, 15 

Farrar, H. W 115 

Fauberg Pave 41. 42, 106 

Fav, G. A 86. 87, 91, 92, 110 

Fehrs. C. \V 84, 110 

Fitzsimmons. H. .J 82. 83, 110 

Fletcher, A 62, 63, 110 

Football 93 

Ford, F. A 82, 83, 110 

Forest Fires 27 

Forges 33, 34, 37, lOS 

Fort Slocum 15 

Fox, M 74, 110 

Freas, N. J SO, 81, 110 

Freese, R. J 84, 85, 110 

French Armv Support 105. 106, 107 

Frey. R. J 115 

Frizzel. C 115 

Fromerville 33 

Gaddis, R. M 74, 110 

Gaffney 11 

Gas 32, 36, 37, 40, 44 

Gercourt 38, 39, 40, 105 

Gere. W. S 12, 56. 57, 110 

Gerhart, L 115 

Giselher Stellung 106, 107 

Glass, J 68, 69, 110 

Glassv Rock 11 

Gluck, H 86, 110 

Grimes, W. E 69, 110 

Grobsmith, A. J 38. 72, (3, 91, 92, 110 



Grover 11 to 1-1, NS, 91, Ifil 

Gustke, H. A 74. !)1. llll 

Hadley, H. A 72, 91, 110 

Hadley, O. T 7S, 79. 91. 110 

Hagen, Stellung 106,107 

Hakes, L. M 76, 100,110 

Hanna, D. V S2, 110 

Haraumont Ftidgc 107 

Hardy, R 115 

Harvey, H. S 76, 77, 110 

Havnes, E. E 12, 76, 110 

Heffernan, R. F 84, 85, 110 

Heimback 100 

Heitzman, G. P 84,85,111 

Hess, W 60, 61, 111 

Hill, 319 107 

Hill, 328 107 

Hill, 356 107 

Hixson, H. C 70, 71. Ill 

Horn, H 115 

Hoffman. F. J 60, 61, 91, 111 

Hoffman, G. E 66, 67.93, 111 

Hogs. J. M 6fi, 67, 111 

Hole, W 50, 56, 57, 111 

Hollenbeck, A. T 70, 71, 91, 93, 111 

Hollenbeck, B. R 66, 67, 111 

Holm, K. A 68, 69, 111 

Hotel Moderne 48 

Houdaunville 42 

Hughes, H. E 83, 100, 101, 111 

Huth, R 115 

Hynes, M. E 86, 92, 111 

Inoculation 8 

Irons, F. D 72, 73, 111 

Jackson, B. K 115 

Jackson, F. G 56, 57, 111 

Jersey City 9 

Johnson, L 74, 100, 101, 111 

Jones. E. L 86. Ill 

Kearnev, P. J 115 

Kelley, G. E 17, 25, 51, G8. 69. Ill 

Kelley, J. M 12. 61, 115 

Kies. E. J., 13, 20, 21, 28. 31, 35, 38, 64, 65. 

90, 94, 111 

Kilmartin, W. A 72, 91, 111 

King, Brig. Gen 106 

King's Mountain 13 

Kirkpatrick. C. W 12. 56, 57. HI 

Krigger, A 115 

Kuhn, Maj. Gen.. J. E 42 

La Chappelle-Althenaise 47. 49 

Lange, E. S 78. Ill 

Ea Rochelle zi 

"Lattie" 15, 88 

Laval 48. 49, 104 

Lay ton, C, E 76, 111 

Leakey, E. K 69, 111 

Le Claii'e 37, 38, 40, 41. 104 

Lignol 31 

Liny 106 

Lotheridge. C 61. 115 

•'Louie's' 49, 94, 95 

Lowe, N. M 68. 69. Ill 

Lyons, E. W 62. Ill 

McCue, Lieut. F S. 88 

McCrystle, P. W. R 82, 83. 112 

McGarry, J. A 74. 112 

McKnight. W 37. 81. 100.101, 112 

McNaer, Maj. Gen 47 

Mahaney, R. J 74, 75, 100, 101. 112 

Malone, W. E 78, 79, 112 

Manning, O. F 13, 58, 59, 91, 112 

Marines 50 

Markhani. M. C 58, 59, 112 

Martignas 29 

Meigs, C. A 86. 87. 112 

Messina Springs 8, 91. 104 

Meuse river, 33, 34. 37. 41, 42, 44, 45, 97 

105, 106, 107 

Meyers, C. K 70, 71, 112 

Michels, H. C 70, 71, 91, 92, 112 

Miles, W. K 64, 112 

Montagis 31 

Mount Bazon 30 

Montsurs 47, 48, 104 

Morris, J. X 68, 112 

Mo.'fber, R 115 

M. P'.s; 2N, 29, 44. 48. 49. 98 



"Mt. Vernon" 51 

Munro, W. M 76. 100, 101, 112 

Murphy, D. C 11.", 

Nagle, Ma.i. P. E 16, 47 

Nantes z:i 

Na\al guns 41 

Neel, H. E 78, 79, 112 

Newman, S 15, 82, 112 

Newport News 17, 19 

New York 9, 51, 52, 104 

Obermendig 100 

Odagian, H. S 62, 112 

O'Day, J. P 74, 75, 91, 92, 112 

Oggelesby, H 115 

Olmstead, Capt. H. W.. 4. 5. 10, 14, 27. 

34, 42, 44, 54, 55, 88, 92. 97, 98. 99. 100. 

103, 104, 112 

O'Neill, W. T 15, 76, 112 

Orleans 30, 31 

Overland trip 29. 30, 31 

Page. H. :M 41,78,79,112 

Parade 9, 52, 104 

Patelski, F. J 80,112 

Pelham Ba v 9, 91. 104 

Pershing. Gen •. 49, 104 

Peters, F. J 74, 75, 112 

Plant, E. J 72, 73, 112 

Poems 16, 17. 18. 24, 40, 50, 89, 99, 102 

Pollard, W. J 64, 65, 112 

Pontanezan Bairacks 22 

Porter, T. E..; 64.111' 

"Princess Matoika" 19, 20 

Quinn, W. H 115 

Radinsk\-, J 70, li3 

Range detail 26, 27 

Rausch, J. F 61, 82, 93, 113 

Red Cross 9. 44. 51, 98 

Reed, B. G 15, 44, 45, 60. 61, 113 

Remount Detachment 8, 88 

Reville 42, 46, 107 

Revnolds, B. H 25. 74, 75, 113 

Rickwalt, A 18, 62, 63, 113 

Roster 108 to 114 

Rowlands, T. A 115 

Russian prisoners 46, 47 

Ryan, J. R 48, 56, 57, 93, 100, 113 

Samogneux 42, 44 

Scarangello. S 86, 87, 113 

Schmitt, F. J 61. 66, 67, 113 

Scott, J. R 70, 113 

Selig, L. N 91, 115 

Sens 31 

Septarges 34, 36 

Shafer, C. A 56, 57, 70, 95, 113 

Shelby 14 

Sherman, H 82, 83, 113 

Shero, F. J 74, 113 

Siebert, A. T 82, 113 

Simone, J. A 76, 113 

Sivry 106 

Slack, R. H 72. 73. 92, 113 

Slopey, D. L 78. 79, 113 

Smith. Col. E. T 105 

Smith, E. r: 70. 71, 113 

Smith. H. A 64. 65, 113 

Smith, K. A 64, 65, 93, 113 

Snake Road 10 

Sollerino Farm 107 

"Southern Hospitality" 10, 14 

Spartanburg 10, 11 

Spring, J. G 66, 67, 113 

St. Medard 29 

St. Nazaire 23. 26 

St. Pierre, F. X 61, SO, 113 

St. Suplice !'2 

Stanbrook, R 5s. 59, 113 

Stewart, A. M 34, 56, 57, 113 

Stott, C. D 80, 113 

Strodel, N. J 115 

.Submarines 20 

Sullivan. W. E 62,63,113 

Sweet, Lieut. H. K.. 15, 16. 32. 41, 54, 55. 

92, 103, 113 
Syracuse 8, 9, 61, 88 

Tarpev, W 76, 77, 114 

Tavlor, K. A 64, 11! 

Tavloi', W. A 115 

Tennis, T. E 56. 57, 91. 114 

Thankss^iving Day 10. 47, 61 



Thierville 42, 

Thro, D. G 13, 57, 

Tinte Brook 

Tours 

Trench du Teton 

Tucker, Chaplain 

Tucker, F. E 58, Sit, 

Turner, Kate 

Vaucherville 42, 

Vaudeville Performance 

Vaux 

Verbeck, Capt. G 

Verdun 32. 34, 41 to 47, 100, 

Vilosnes 106, 

Vroman, J. C 44, 56, 57, 61, 

Wavrille 

Weehauken 

Wermuth, W. D 80, 

Westman, C 64, 

"Wilhelmina" 

Wilson, A. P 70, 

Wolfe, Brig. Gen 

Y. M. C. A 21, lo, 



44 
114 
107 

30 
105 

46 
114 

12 

44 

14 

42 

S 

104 

107 

114 

107 

51 

114 

114 

10 

114 

106 

51 



13th F. A 3 4 

25th Engineers 92 

26th Division 106, 107 

29th Division 105, lOi", 

32nd Division 100, 105 

33rd. Division 37. 40, 105, 106 

52nd Brigade. . .26, 27, 47. 49. 105, 106, 107 

G5th Division 106 

79th Division 42, 47. 106, 107 

80th Division 105 

S3rd Division 49, 100 

102nd Engineers 10 

102nd M. P 48 

102nd Supply Train 11, 14 

102nd Trench Moilar Batterv 105, 106 

104th F. A 33, 91, 105 

105th F. A 91, 105 

106, F. A 42, 105 

157th Brigade 107 

158th Brigade 1 06, 107 

308th Am. Tn 100 



